Climate & Energy

Urge your senators to support funding to implement the Climate Superfund Act

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After the devastating floods that hit Vermont in the summer of 2023, the Vermont legislature stepped up and passed the Climate Superfund Act, requiring some of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies to compensate Vermont for the enormous costs the climate crisis is causing Vermont and Vermonters.   Now, the work of implementing that law is …

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2025 Mid-Session Update

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We’ve passed the unofficial halfway mark of the 2025 Vermont legislative session. Last Friday marked the crossover deadline – the date by which bills must be advanced out of their initial policy committee if they are going to have a chance of being passed this year. We knew coming into this session that we’d need …

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Environmental and Business Groups Blast Governor for Retreating on Climate Action 

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Just days after President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to once again pull out of the Paris Climate Accord, Governor Phil Scott – reflected in the budget and policy proposals he put forward yesterday – called to fundamentally retreat from Vermont’s commitment to climate action.  “While Gov. Scott’s rhetoric is very different from Trump’s, both …

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2025 Legislative Priorities

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

Vermonters have made it clear that the status quo just isn’t working. At VPIRG, we’ve never been real big on preserving the status quo anyway. Our work to protect Vermont’s people, environment, & democracy will continue in 2025. From guarding our online privacy to ensuring the safety of our food and products, we’re seeking progress …

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VPIRG Celebrates Enactment of “Climate Superfund” in New York State

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Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) congratulated New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for signing the Climate Change Superfund Act into law on Thursday. The new law establishes a cost recovery program that requires the fossil fuel companies that have contributed most significantly to the buildup of greenhouse gas pollution in …

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5 Things to Know About the Renewable Energy Standard

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Earlier this year, the Vermont Legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto to pass an expansion of the state’s Renewable Energy Standard, or RES, putting us on track to delivering 100% renewable energy statewide by 2035.   The Renewable Energy Standard is a framework through which Vermont’s electrical utilities are required to acquire energy from renewable sources and …

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About the Affordable Heat Act (S.5)

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The Affordable Heat Act (S.5) is a policy designed to help ensure that every Vermonter can access cleaner, more affordable heat — not just those who already have the resources to do so. In 2023, the Vermont Legislature passed S.5, commencing a comprehensive two-year process to explore, shape and consider implementing a “clean heat” thermal …

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5 Things to Know About the Climate Superfund Act

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The Climate Superfund Act was passed into law by the Vermont Legislature earlier this year and marks a new era in the effort to hold the world’s largest polluters responsible for the mess they have made. For the first time, Big Oil will be held financially accountable for knowingly damaging our climate and doing nothing …

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Climate Superfund Law Enacted; Vermont Becomes First State to Hold Big Oil Financially Responsible for a Fair Share of Climate Damages

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Legislation authorizing the State of Vermont to recoup financial damages caused by climate change from major fossil fuel companies became law yesterday when Governor Phil Scott failed to sign or veto the bill during the constitutionally-mandated five-day consideration period. The enactment of S.259, the Climate Superfund Act, marks a new era in the effort to …

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