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It’s a new year and the start of a new legislative session. VNRC program directors are at the State House advocating for Vermont’s communities, our forests and wildlife, bold climate action, and irreplaceable water resources. To get the latest updates from the State House about how you can make your voice heard, be sure to follow these hashtags on social media: #ActOnClimateVT, #CleanWaterVT, #ToxicFreeVT, #vtforests, and #vtpoli.
 You’ll also want to read through our latest Vermont Environmental Report on creating Vermont’s climate economy. We have the opportunity to define not just the economy of now, but the economy of the future – a future where climate action benefits all Vermonters and helps us weather all manner of storms.
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| We want to hear from you: 2018 VNRC Member Survey |
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 VNRC has been a successful organization for more than 50 years because of the backbone of support we receive from our members and donors. We couldn’t do this work without you! With that in mind, we wanted to check in and hear from you – what tops your list regarding policy priorities, what can we do to improve our work, and how do you like to hear from us? Let us know by Jan. 24th by filling out our 2018 Member Survey. Thank you in advance!
Welcome 2018 legislative session interns!
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 We’re excited to welcome three interns to our office during the legislative session: Matt Bockey, legal extern; Aleks Taylor, legislative intern; and George Fiske, student ambassador. Click here to learn more about their work.
| Vermont climate action update: #ActOnClimateVT |
 This session, VNRC’s Energy & Climate Program – in coordination with partners (and you, we hope!) – will offer a weekly video update from the State House to shed light on what is happening (or not) on climate and clean energy, and how you can be involved. The updates will be posted onFacebook and Twitter, or you can access them on our website here. Keep the conversation going by using and following the #ActOnClimateVT hashtag on social media. These updates are just one part of VNRC’s work to ensure we implement policies and solutions that bend the curve on Vermont’s rising greenhouse gas emissions. We’re focusing on moving forward the five final, short-term recommendations suggested by the Vermont Climate Action Commission, including ensuring that a full and fair analysis of carbon pricing and the ESSEX plan is undertaken.
LaPlatte River Marsh Wetland one step closer to greater protection
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 Following months of review, the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) granted VNRC’s petition to afford the highest level of protection to the LaPlatte River Marsh Wetland located in Shelburne. The wetland is truly an oasis in Chittenden County, providing invaluable habitat to many rare, threatened, or endangered plant and animal populations. By granting the petition, ANR has agreed to amend the Vermont Wetland Rules to provide the LaPlatte River Marsh Wetland with increased protection. Look for future updates from VNRC as the ANR proposal moves through the rulemaking process. |
| VNRC & T4VT submit comments on VW Mitigation Funds |
 As part of the settlement with Volkswagen – which deceived the American public with fraudulent “clean diesel claims” – Vermont is eligible for nearly $19 million to go towards clean transportation projects. This past month, ANR has been seeking public input on its draft plan for utilizing the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust. VNRC submitted comments and helped coordinate the Transportation for Vermonters coalition to submit comments, both of which encouraged the state to focus the funds electrification of Vermont’s transportation infastructure.
Our Vermont Woods
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 This past autumn, VNRC worked with University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation, in collaboration with other partners, to launch Our Vermont Woods. Our Vermont Woods is a go-to place for information and resources on Vermont’s forests, and offers easily navigable access to resources, information, effective communication tools, and a user-friendly platform for online education. Check it out here! |
| VCV Update: Common Agenda pre-release |
 Join us on Thurs., Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier for a one-night pop-up exhibition and reception with Audubon Vermont featuring this year’s award-winning photos from the Audubon Photography Awards. At the event, Vermont Conservation Voters will be previewing their 2018 Environmental Common Agenda of legislative priorities. The Common Agenda details the priorities of a range of environmental organizations across the state working on matters affecting our shared natural resources, the character of our communities, and the health of Vermonters. |
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| Welch calls federal ethanol mandate ‘a well-intended flop,’ renews call for repeal
(VPR) Rep. Peter Welch is renewing his call to repeal a federal law that mandates that most gasoline contain 10 percent ethanol. Welch notes that the ethanol mandate, while well-intended, had unintentional economic and environmental impacts, and is wreaking havoc on the small engines Vermonters use for work and recreation. Read more. Check out VNRC Water Program Director Jon Groveman’s take here.
Shupe: Getting there
Vermonters in rural, suburban, and compact areas all deserve a variety of transportation choices – real choices that will help their household budgets, allow people to meet their day-to-day needs and play a part in helping reduce our state’s energy use. What does this look like in a rural state? Read VNRC Executive Director Brian Shupe’s thoughts here.
Courtney: Time for a miracle
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 Former VNRC Executive Director and current board member Elizabeth Courtney asks Vermonters to resolve in this new year to activate our personal and collective abilities to change the course of a climate catastrophe and turn it into a miracle. Read more.
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| Jan. 22: Moms for a toxic-free VT march
 The Scott administration is changing current policy to give industry a significant delay in the plan to disclose children’s products containing toxic chemicals. Join VNRC partners for a workshop, march, and press conference in Burlington to call on Governor Scott to maintain the existing policy to protect kids. Click here for more information.
Jan. 24: Acting on climate change in VT
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 It’s 2018, the legislative session has just resumed, and we have more opportunities for action on climate change! Join us at Kingdom Taproom for a conversation on how we talk about climate change, local energy and efficiency project planning, and the ESSEX Plan for pricing carbon pollution.Click here for event information.
Feb. 9: Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition legislative day
 The Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition legislative day is the day for housing and conservation supporters to champion the projects and values supported by Vermont Housing & Conservation Board funding. Click here for more information and to RSVP!
Feb. 22: Clean Water Day – save the date!
 Save the date for the 2018 Clean Water Day. Join us onThurs., Feb. 22nd to celebrate our lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands, and to call on our lawmakers to invest in cleaning up and protecting our waterways. More information coming soon.
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| Trump administration expands offshore drilling
 Despite bipartisan opposition, the Trump administration recently opened more than a billion acres of water in the Arctic, Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to offshore oil and gas drilling. Read more.
‘Paradigm shift’ at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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 EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has spent his first year as administrator shrinking the EPA’s reach, altering its focus, and erasing its work to fight climate change and more. For example, the EPA appears to no longer be releasing preliminary assessments of potentially hazardous new chemicals or new uses of existing chemicals.
2017’s $306 billion disaster bill
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 In 2017, the U.S. was hit by 16 weather events that cost more than $1 billion each. Pieced together, you get a story of a climate transformed by human activity – and a record-shattering $306 billion disaster bill. At the same time, the Trump administration is censoring climate change web content and changing the digital conversation about climate change.
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| Protecting Vermont’s natural resources and communities since 1963.
For more than fifty years, VNRC has been Vermont’s leader in protecting our natural resources and communities. Through research, education, collaboration, and advocacy, VNRC protects and enhances Vermont’s natural environments, vibrant communities, productive working landscapes, rural character, and unique sense of place, and prepares the state for future challenges and opportunities. From the State House to your town hall, VNRC keeps Vermonters informed on the environmental issues that you and your family care about most. Support from VNRC’s members is critical to our work – join today. |
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