This morning, VPIRG Executive Director Paul Burns testified before the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee to oppose provisions within S.208 that would mean cutbacks to Vermont’s Bottle Bill. His testimony focused on the history of environmental success of the Bottle Bill, as well as the overwhelming popularity of the program with Vermonters. You can read the full testimony here:
The committee also heard testimony from Martin Wolf, Product Sustainability and Authenticity Director of Seventh Generation and David Ellenbogen, Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of the Vermont Sierra Club. Both spoke to the full support from their organizations to protect and expand the Bottle Bill.
Redemption center owners Gilles Moreau, Arthur Caroll, and Bob Coloutti, also appealed to Committee members not to approve Bottle Bill rollbacks, and in doing so not compromise their business and the livelihood of their employees.
Vermont’s Bottle Bill makes sense for the ecology, people, and economy of our state. Please help us let lawmakers know we need this program built on, not taken away. If your Senator is a member of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, click here to contact them with a note or quick call to urge them not to weaken the Bottle Bill.
Want to get even more involved? Please contact eliza@vpirg.org for more ways that you can help make sure the Bottle Bill is here to stay!