It’s been a busy and exciting winter at VNRC –weird and warm weather notwithstanding – with progress being made on several of our priority issues in the Legislature and two new additions recently joining the staff.

VNRC is pleased to welcome Jon Groveman and Meredith Naughton to the team. Keil Corey will also take on a new role as the Communications and Outreach Associate.

Jon Groveman joins VNRC to serve as Policy and Water Program Director. Groveman previously held the positions of Water Program Director and General Counsel at VNRC before being asked in 2011 to serve as General Counsel for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources with the Shumlin Administration. Last year, Governor Shumlin appointed Groveman to Chair the Natural Resources Board (NRB), which administers Act 250, Vermont’s development review law.

According to Brian Shupe, VNRC’s executive director, Groveman will also work closely with VNRC’s Energy, Forest & Wildlife, Sustainable Communities Programs to coordinate policy for the organization. “We are excited about the experience that Jon brings to VNRC and believe he can enhance the great work the organization is doing to confront climate change, promote healthy working forests, hold stakeholders accountable for cleaning up the state’s waters, and foster strong communities in Vermont.”

Meredith Naughton joins VNRC to serve as Database and Membership Coordinator. Naughton comes to VNRC after stints at Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center and the Green Mountain Club. Before moving to Vermont, she worked in biology research, first as a lab technician and later as a research assistant in the northern mountains of Trinidad. “Meredith is a great addition to VNRC,” stated Shupe, “in addition to coordinating our membership, she will add a great deal of talent and  capacity to our development program.”

VNRC and Preservation Trust of Vermont are actively opposing a similarly out-of-scale development at the Exit 1 interchange in Hartford. The proposed development would undermine the region’s efforts for orderly development and run counter to the regional plan. Read more here.

Two VNRC priorities – H.789, a bill that will help maintain large forest blocks and habitat connectivity through town and regional planning, and H.552, a bill that would update and strengthen state protection of endangered plant and animal species, in particular by authorizing the state to designate areas of critical habitat – recently passed out of the House of Representatives with the help of our members and activists. Read more on VNRC’s forest and wildlife priorities here.

One critical issue VNRC is focused on is forest fragmentation. Development patterns are encroaching into Vermont’s forests bit by bit, threatening the health, ecosystem services, and economic benefits they provide. Read VNRC’s take on the issue and what’s at stake here. For more on what’s happening in the Legislature, check out recent coverage by Vermont Edition and Seven Days.

“This recognition is a great honor for VNRC, and for Vermont as well,” said Kate McCarthy, VNRC’s sustainable communities program director and a fellow certified planner. “Once inducted, Brian will be one of only two FAICP planners in the state.”

The Yankee Planner, a newsletter of the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning Association, recently highlighted Shupe’s history and ongoing work in the field. “Brian serves as a statewide spokesperson for sustainable land use and vibrant communities,” noted Brandy Saxton, a certified planner and contributor to the publication. Read more here.

VNRC supports many of these recommendations, like an enhanced process for regional and municipal energy planning. With S.230, there is an opportunity to move beyond divisiveness and set a more predictable course for the inevitable clean energy transition taking place in the state.  Read more on VNRC’s take on the issue here.

Vermont Conservation Voters unveiled scores for the Vermont delegation recently as part of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) 2015 National Environmental Scorecard.

Vermont’s single House member Congressman Peter Welch scored 94%, and both Senators ­Pat Leahy and Bernie Sanders earned perfect 100% scores in the 2015 Scorecard. Senator Leahy and Congressman Welch are both running for reelection this year.

VNRC applauds Vermont’s federal delegation for their stellar record on environmental issues.  Please consider thanking Congressman Welch and Senators Leahy and Sanders for their commitment to our environment and the health and the well-being of current and future generations of Vermonters and Americans alike.

The Scorecard is available at https://scorecard.lcv.org.

VNRC is seeking additional donations to our silent auction at our eight annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival on April 7th, at Main Street Landing in Burlington. Silent auction donors will enjoy a number of benefits, like promotion in Wild & Scenic event publicity prior to and during the festival, as well as exposure to 200-plus people expected at the festival. If you are interested in contributing to our silent auction, please email Meredith (mnaughton@vnrc.org).

Thank you to our generous silent auction sponsors! Check out the growing list of items and start your bidding here!

The Vermont Natural Resources Council is now accepting nominations for the 2016 ArthurGibb Award for Individual Leadership.

Every year, VNRC honors the legacy of the late Arthur Gibb (pictured at left) for his commitment to safeguarding Vermont’s values and unique landscape, along with his leadership, vision and dedication to building consensus. This year VNRC seeks to honor an individual whose leadership at the state level has brought about positive and lasting change in the way communities across Vermont integrate growth and conservation. Individuals who have demonstrated similar leadership at the local level will be honored in alternating years.

The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative released its annual report in February citing numerous success stories. The initiative, comprised of a fund and a legislatively appointed board that oversees grants and funding for Vermont’s forestry and agricultural businesses, has channeled more than $3 million in  investments since 2012.

VNRC, partners, and citizens successfully advocated for the creation of the initiative and have actively pushed for its funding each year since. Read more here.

The Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development recently concluded their comprehensive overhaul to the state’s Planning Manual. Designed to help communities identify the issues that matter most, the manual offers action-oriented strategies to tackle community priorities.  View the manual here.

The 2016 update includes two modules. One is the Municipal Plan module, a user-friendly update that includes new concepts on developing a shared community vision through planning. It provides advice on how to use existing plans, the role of the municipal plan in Act 250 land use permits, and Section 248 proceedings for electric generation facilities. The other is the State Designation Programs module, which offers case studies of cities and towns that have used the programs to implement their plans and achieve their goals.

Buy your tickets today for the eighth annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, co-hosted with Patagonia Burlington. The festival will be held at the Film House at Main Street Landing in Burlington. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and films start at 6 p.m.  Seats are limited so don’t wait to get your ticket.

This year’s festival is focused on “turning adventure into activism,” featuring films that will inspire outdoor enthusiasts and activists alike. There will be locally sourced food catered by the farm-to-school program in the Burlington School District, drinks by Zero Gravity Brewery, and a robust silent auction, which you can start bidding on right now!

Afterward, join us downstairs at the Skinny Pancake for a FREE after party with live music by Red Hot Juba, plus food, and drink specials. A percentage of proceeds from the party will be donated to VNRC, so continue the conversation, get involved and have some fun supporting Vermont’s environment!

A special thanks to our generous sponsors Patagonia Burlington, Zero Gravity Brewery, Seventh Generation, Skinny Pancake, Main Street Landing, and all of our silent auction donors!