Become a Member Visit Our Website Donate
March 2019 E-News
Catch up below with VNRC’s latest news, and learn about opportunities to help us protect Vermont’s environment and communities.
HIGHLIGHTS
- LCV National Environmental Scorecard Highlights Vermont Leadership — This week, the League of Conservation Voters released their National Environmental Scorecard. The scorecard is the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of every member of Congress. We’re proud that Vermont’s congressional delegation was among the high scoring delegations in the country. Read more below.
- Webinar Today: Status Update on Vermont’s Energy and Climate Commitments — Join us today at noon for the latest results from the Energy Action Network’s in-depth analysis of where Vermont stands in terms of meeting its climate goals. RSVP by clicking here. Read more below.
- Protecting Vermonters from Toxic Chemicals — See below for an update on important toxics bills that passed out of Senate Committees last week.
- Don’t Miss Out on Our Weekly Climate Dispatch — In brief Facebook Live videos on Fridays, we summarize what’s happening each week in the State House on climate and clean energy. Plus, we share easy ways you can help ensure that policymakers act on this critical issue. Sign up here to receive the Climate Dispatch in your inbox so you never miss an episode.
EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
- SAVE THE DATE: Wild & Scenic Film Festival — On April 4, VNRC and Patagonia Burlington will co-host our 11th annual film showcase celebrating some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, and the communities rising up to protect them. We’ll have locally-sourced food, Zero Gravity beer and wine, raffle prizes from our sponsors, and a fantastic silent auction. Get your tickets here!
- Now Accepting Nominations for the 2019 Arthur Gibb Award — Do you know someone who has what it takes to be our 2019 honoree? Applications are due on March 29. Find the nomination form here.
- AVCC Tiny Grants Available — The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions recently released the application for their tiny grants program. The tiny grants, awarded yearly to Vermont Conservation Commissions, range from $250-$600 and have been used to fund critical, local conservation efforts. The application deadline is April 12th, 2019 and you can learn more about the tiny grants here.
- New England Grassroots Environment Fund Seeking Applications — The New England Grassroots Environment Fund is seeking applications for their Grow Grants. Grow Grants are for existing community-based groups doing environmental or socially beneficial work in New England, are primarily volunteer-driven, and need help expanding a community project. The Grassroots fund provide funding, resources, connections, trainings, and inspiration to grantees and seeks to empower civic engagement and grassroots democracy. The deadline to apply for Grow Grants is March 15th. Learn more and apply at here.
EXTRA, EXTRA – VNRC in the News
- Environmental Protection Agency proposal on Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Too Little, Too Late — VNRC joined the Conservation Law Foundation in expressing grave concern regarding the federal government’s plan to deal with toxic PFAS chemicals. “The threats posed by PFAS chemicals to drinking water are real, significant and here now, said Jon Groveman, Policy and Water Program Director for VNRC. “EPA’s proposal is too little and too slow to address health and environmental impacts on PFAS.” Given the absence of federal leadership, Vermont must step up to protect its citizens from these harmful chemicals. Read more here.
- VNRC Weighs in on Land Gains Tax — VNRC Executive Director Brian Shupe was quoted in an article in Seven Days about the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the land gains tax. Shupe warned, “land speculation that could have an adverse impact on the natural environment and communities continues to be a very real concern.”
- Speaking Up to Keep Toxins Away From our Children — Vermont Conservation Voters Executive Director Lauren Heirl joined Vermont Public Interest Research Group Executive Director Paul Burns in writing, “our children should never be exposed to dangerous, toxic chemicals. That’s an obvious, non-controversial position, right? The unfortunate truth, however, is that toxic chemical exposure remains a daily, ongoing threat to the health and safety of our children … Fortunately, there are steps our elected leaders and public officials can and must take to protect our kids.” Read the op-ed here.
Find more detail on select topics below. As always, we welcome your feedback and support.
Brian Shupe
Executive Director, VNRC
National Environmental Scorecard Show’s Vermont’s Congressional Delegation Fighting for Our Environment
In 2018, we witnessed attacks on the most basic protections for our air, water, wildlife, and communities. These attacks are even more egregious in light of the deadly extreme weather our nation experienced in the fourth hottest year on record.
But we’re proud to say that Vermont’s congressional delegation fought back and defended our environment. The Vermont delegation was among the highest scoring congressional delegations in the country. The full delegation’s scores for 2018 are:
- Senator Patrick Leahy – 100 percent
- Senator Bernie Sanders – 100 percent
- Representative Peter Welch – 94 percent
In particular, we applaud Senator Leahy for helping to secure the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We thank Senator Sanders for his national leadership on climate change and championing the importance of transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward sustainable energy. And we appreciate Representative Welch’s work to expand energy efficiency efforts across Vermont and the country.
In the Senate, LCV scored 14 votes that were largely efforts to confirm radical nominees to the federal judiciary and the executive branch — including the lifetime appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. In the House, LCV scored 35 votes that chronicle the 2018 attacks on the environment and public health — from allowing more toxic pollution into our air to removing protections for endangered species to slashing clean energy funding.
See which votes earned our delegation a high score for the environment in 2018.
Join our Webinar Today at Noon – Status Update on Vermont’s Energy and Climate Commitments
Be the first to get an in-depth walk through of the Energy Action Network’s 2018 Annual Report, rolling out March 4th! Get an in-depth analysis of where Vermont stands in terms of meeting its climate goals. Join us at NOON on Monday, March 4th for this free webinar.
On the eve of Town Meeting Day and at the halfway point in the legislative session, get an overview of what priorities you can help push to help Vermont bend the curve on our rising carbon pollution.
And in case you missed our webinar about communicating on climate with VECAN Conference keynote speaker Michael Shank, check it out here.
Key Toxics Bills Pass Out of Senate Committees
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approved S.37, a bill that holds polluters accountable for harm caused by toxic pollution. It holds polluters strictly liable for the harm they cause and allows Vermonters harmed by toxic pollution to recover for the cost of medical testing before they develop a disease.
S.49 is a bill that requires the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources to develop a drinking water and surface water standard for PFAS. PFAS is a category of toxic chemicals that poses significant threats to public health and the environment. The chemicals released in Bennington that contaminated drinking water wells were PFAS chemicals. S.49 protects Vermonters by requiring ANR to take steps to address the entire class of chemicals. States like Vermont are beginning to lead on this issue as a result of EPA’s failure. Under Senator Bray’s leadership, S.49 passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee 5-0. The bill will face a final vote on the Senate floor after Town Meeting week.
We’ll keep you posted with further updates as these bills progress.
Proceeds from Book Sales to Bennifit VNRC
A newly released book by Lynn Levine, “Identifying Ferns the Easy Way.” Lynn has been a consulting forester and naturalist since 1978. Her new guide to identifying regional ferns is presented with user-friendly tips for identifying ferns, interesting facts, and is beautifully illustrated by Briony Morrow-Cribbs. 25% of proceeds from books ordered by VNRC members will go to support our work. Order your copy at http://heartwoodpress.com/ and write “VNRC” in the comments section.
The Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas Needs Your Support!
Since the mid 1990s, the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian (Herp) Atlas has been gathering and disseminating information on Vermont’s frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, and lizards. Their efforts have resulted in a multitude of conservation actions by landowners, organizations, and state agencies.
They depend on a significant amount of volunteer effort, but the Herp Atlas also requires some funds. One of their sources of federal funds has dropped from $20,000 in 2015 to $8,500 for this coming year (2019). They need your help not only to continue their efforts, but also to fund the conversion of their early prints, slides, and paper reports to an electronic form that will be easily available for future generations. For more information on the project and to contribute, visit this link.
Connect
| Support |
| Click here to become a member of VNRC or to make a one-time or recurring donation |
| About Us |
| 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.
Vermont Natural Resources Council |