VPIRG

05/28/2026

BREAKING: Gov. Scott sided with Big Tech today when he vetoed what would be the nation's toughest law regulating data centers. The bill (H.727) had passed 26-3 in the Senate.⁠
⁠
If data centers concern you, user our action page to urge legislators to go on the record with an override vote: https://secure.ngpvan.com/iYN32AqzNU65Ld-LIgzlxA2

05/27/2026

We had a packed house for last night's forum featuring the Democratic primary candidates for governor! We want to thank our audience for submitting some great questions, Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards for their great answers, and our partners and allies for making last night possible. Missed the forum? You can watch the livestream recording courtesy of Town Meeting TV: https://www.youtube.com/live/-mzczkLZbCs

And don't forget to mark your calendars for the next forum with the candidates on June 15th in Rutland - details and registration at vermontconservationvoters.com/event/candidate-forum-democratic-primary-for-governor-3/

05/27/2026

One of the most exciting races this year will be the Lieutenant Governor’s race, with three candidates already filed to run in the Democratic primary.

Come hear from candidates Esther Charlestin, Molly Gray, and Ryan McLaren on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at Next Stage Arts in Putney to hear their visions for the Lt Governor role and where they stand on the issues. There will be questions from the sponsoring organizations and time for questions from the audience.

Register at

The 2026 election campaigns have begun, and it’s time to meet the Democratic candidates for Lt. Gov.

05/26/2026

Governor Phil Scott signed landmark legislation into law today, making Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the toxic herbicide paraquat, which is linked to Parkinson’s disease. Health and environmental advocates celebrated the victory.⁠
⁠
“There are some agricultural pesticides that are just too poisonous to be used safely. Paraquat is now at the top of that list and therefore banning it in Vermont is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. ⁠
⁠
Read the full press release here: https://www.vpirg.org/news/governor-signs-paraquat-ban-h-739-into-law/

05/22/2026

Let’s call President Trump’s so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund” what it is: a blatantly corrupt political slush fund. That's why VPIRG is joining citizens and organizations across the country in demanding an end to this corrupt scheme and sending a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Add your name at www.VPIRG.org/FUTodd

And you can read more at www.VPIRG.org/news/straight-up-corrupt

05/20/2026

Believe it or not, the legislative session is almost behind us! Join the VPIRG team on Wednesday, May 27 at 6PM on Zoom for our next monthly action call. We’ll offer a quick debrief on this month’s legislative and organizing action and share what we’ve got coming up for June.

We’ll also be joined by Ben Edgerly Walsh, VPIRG’s climate and energy program director, for an overview of Vermont’s data center accountability bill. He'll cover the latest on legislation, the national AI data center landscape, and how we can best protect Vermonters for decades to come. Q&A to follow.

RSVP for the action call: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fnraiT1sT2-ochNhWbzpsA

05/18/2026

The 2026 election campaigns have begun, and it’s time to meet the candidates!

Join us on Tuesday, May 26th, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Meeting House in Colchester for a moderated forum with the candidates in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor, Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards. There will be questions from the sponsoring organizations and time for questions from the audience.

Save your seat at vermontconservationvoters.com/event/candidate-forum-democratic-primary-for-governor/

05/16/2026

Learn more and take action at www.vpirg.org/paraquat 💃✈️

05/15/2026

🚨 Action alert! 🚨

Send a message to your senator(s): www.vpirg.org/H915

The people who operate Vermont's bottle redemption centers have not been given an increase in their basic income – the beverage container handling fee – in almost 20 years. Many have gone out of business and others are struggling to hang on. Senators on the Natural Resources and Energy Committee recently gave unanimous bipartisan support to a bill (H.915) that would make a modest and temporary one-cent increase in the handling fee. But the beverage industry, spearheaded by Coke and Pepsi, has launched a campaign to kill the bill

Since the handling fee was last increased, the Vermont minimum wage has increased 88% and other expenses, including utilities, rent, insurance, and logistics, have also risen steadily. The fact is, redemption centers are the backbone of the successful Bottle Bill program, and they deserve a raise.

Send a message to your senator(s): www.vpirg.org/H915

05/14/2026

We're not done yet. Gov. Scott still needs to sign this landmark bill into law. Please help us get the ban on paraquat over the finish line by contacting the governor today! Learn more and take action at vpirg.org/paraquat