“The owners of this landfill are blatantly ignoring the law and robbing Vermonters of the right to weigh in on a project that will affect public health and the environment,” said Nora Bosworth, Zero Waste Attorney at CLF. “State laws exist for a reason, and the Coventry landfill can’t be allowed to continue operating this system in defiance of the law. It’s time for the Agency of Natural Resources to step in.”
This landmark law aims to clean up how we heat our homes and buildings. Now we need to implement it effectively so that it achieves its goal.
“The Bellevue Project makes no economic or environmental sense,” said Elena Mihaly, Vice President of CLF Vermont. “Vermont should prioritize projects that help farms avoid producing climate-damaging emissions in the first place. Projects like this one generate as much polluting methane as possible, lock farms into industrial dairying, and saddle Vermonters with the bill for expensive, unnecessary gas infrastructure.”
“The State’s decision is an assault on one of our bedrock environmental protections,” said CLF attorney Mason Overstreet. “Dangerous chemicals are leaching out of this landfill and polluting the Black River and Lake Memphremagog, a drinking water source for thousands of people. The State’s irresponsible decision not to require a Clean Water Act permit blows a hole through the law’s core protections and leaves Vermonters exposed to pollutants. The court should reverse the state’s decision and require a permit with effective pollution control limits.”
“Vermonters are facing a climate emergency and a heating crisis, and the status quo isn’t working for anyone,” said Elena Mihaly, Vice President and Director of Conservation Law Foundation Vermont. “Governor Scott’s attempts to kill this legislation threatened to continue an irresponsible business-as-usual approach that would have left Vermonters overly reliant on polluting, expensive fossil fuels. The Legislature’s decisive override sends a clear message, and we don’t have a moment to waste implementing this new law.”
This new bill can slash polluting emissions from our buildings and clean up Vermont’s heating fuel supply.
“We must reform Vermont’s renewable energy rules if we’re serious about meeting our climate goals and slashing dangerous pollution in our communities,” said CLF attorney Chase Whiting. “A portion of our electricity comes from out-of-state fossil fuel plants that pollute communities’ air, destroy our planet, and take hard-earned money from Vermonters. This is unacceptable. It’s time to update these rules to ensure our electricity comes from new clean energy sources like wind and solar, especially those that bring new jobs to Vermont.”
“Vermont has made tremendous progress in the last few years, but there is a lot of work left to do and we can’t afford to let up now,” said Dale Azaria, Interim Vice President of CLF Vermont. “Climate impacts are already threatening our way of life. It’s time to go further to expand clean energy and protect our precious waters and resources. We’ll be working with legislators throughout the session to make these shared goals a reality.”
“People have a right to make their voice heard when harmful chemicals are being used in their neighborhoods,” said CLF attorney Mason Overstreet. “The proposed rule threatens public health and runs counter to the goals laid out in Vermont’s climate laws. Legislators made the right decision in postponing a vote, and this rule should go back to the drawing board.”
As I’m writing this, in the beginning of December, I can’t help but think about how mild Vermont’s weather is right now. We’ve got some rain, small flurries, and chilly temperatures, sure – but nothing like the December snow I remember even just a few years ago. My kids and I could count on great… Continue reading Victory: Vermont Agency Adopts Rules for more Electric, Pollution-Free Vehicles
