News and Updates

Supreme Court Sides with Pesticide Manufacturers Over Public Health

Activist Tools, News and Updates, Toxics & Environmental Health / By

The U.S. Supreme Court sided with pesticide manufacturers in a June 25th decision that will make it much harder for people harmed by pesticides to hold chemical companies accountable. In Monsanto v. Durnell, the Court ruled that people generally cannot sue pesticide manufacturers under state law for failing to include warnings about health risks on …

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VPIRG launches “Democracy Vermont” summer outreach campaign

Democracy Vermont, Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Press Releases / By

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) kicked off its “Democracy Vermont” summer outreach campaign today at an event at Roosevelt Park in Burlington. VPIRG is among the most well-known public interest advocacy organizations in the state, and each summer sets out to connect with tens of thousands of Vermonters at their homes. This summer’s …

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Organized network server cables for efficient data management.

The data center bill excuse you may be hearing — and why it doesn’t hold up

Climate & Energy, News and Updates / By

Last week, VPIRG asked its members to let the representatives who voted to sustain Governor Scott’s veto of the data center bill (H.727) know they were disappointed. Many did — thank you. It’s come to our attention that some of the representatives who voted with the governor are now offering a striking explanation for their vote: that …

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2026 Legislative Recap 

Bottle Bill, Climate & Energy, Consumer Protection, Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Toxics & Environmental Health, Zero Waste / By

CLIMATE & ENERGY Passing the nation’s strongest regulations on AI data center development VPIRG led the effort to strengthen and pass H.727, which Gov Scott ultimately vetoed despite hundreds of VPIRG members and other Vermonters urging him to side with Vermont ratepayers over Big Tech. The bill would have ensured Vermonters don’t wind up paying …

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Why is the Koch’s Dark Money Group Trying to Kill Vermont’s Data center bill?

Climate & Energy, News and Updates / By

Gov. Scott now has one of the strongest data center laws in the nation on his desk, and he has until Thursday night to sign or veto it. The bad news? Gov. Scott’s own staff have joined Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a core right-wing group in the Koch Brothers’ dark money network, to oppose it.1, 2 If …

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Governor Signs Paraquat Ban (H.739) into Law

News and Updates, Press Releases, Toxics & Environmental Health / By

Vermont Becomes the First State in the Nation to Ban Paraquat and Reduce Risk of Parkinson’s Disease Montpelier, VT — Governor Phil Scott signed landmark legislation into law today, making Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the toxic herbicide paraquat, which is linked to Parkinson’s disease. Health and environmental advocates celebrated the …

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Straight Up Corrupt

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You’ve probably seen the news about President Trump’s so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” But let’s call it what it is: a blatantly corrupt political slush fund.  Here’s why this is so outrageous…  The Trump administration is creating a nearly $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded program to “compensate” Trump allies and political loyalists who claim they were unfairly investigated or …

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High-tech server rack in a secure data center with network cables and hardware components.

Vermont’s legislature just passed one of the strongest data center laws in the country — now the ball’s in the Governor’s court.

Climate & Energy, News and Updates / By

Something remarkable just happened at the Vermont State House.  The Vermont legislature just passed H.727 — the bill to regulate any data centers proposed here — with an overwhelming, bipartisan supermajority: 26-3 in the Senate, and with just a smattering of “no’s” on a voice vote in the House. That kind of margin doesn’t happen …

Vermont’s legislature just passed one of the strongest data center laws in the country — now the ball’s in the Governor’s court. Read More »

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Toxic Heavy Metal Testing for Baby Food Heads to Governor’s Desk

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The Vermont Legislature has passed H.536 – a bill that takes an important step toward making baby food safer and more transparent. The legislation requires baby food manufacturers to test their products for toxic heavy metals – arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury – and make those results publicly available through a QR code. This kind …

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