Category: legislature

Editorial: Shorelands development bill: A problem of scale

Posted on April 11, 2013 |

• Editorial
• legislature

By Angelo Lynn

One of the problems with H.526 is of scale. The focus and intent is clearly aimed at cleaning up the vast waters of Lake Champlain, which receives the drainage of thousands of acres of farmland, residential lawns and vast urban development. But when this same legislation is applied to tiny Sunset Lake in Orwell or the long-developed shores of Lake Dunmore, or many other similar lakes in Vermont, the legislation’s intent could well miss the mark and cause more injury than good.

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Lawmakers get an earful from citizens on shoreline bill, soda taxes

Posted on April 4, 2013 |

• Addison County
• Featured
• legislature
• taxes
• Vermont

By Xian Chiang-Waren

BRIDPORT — Lawmakers and several dozen Addison County citizens gathered at the Bridport Community Hall for a legislative lunch on agricultural issues, but the hot-button issues discussed over the meal were not directly related to agriculture.

Rather, citizens in attendance wanted to pick legislators’ brains over a controversial shoreline conservation bill, H.526, which netted statewide attention after clearing the House late last week, and over a tax package that would lift the tax exemption on items including bottled water, soda, candy and dietary supplements.

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House panel considering GMO labeling bill

Posted on March 28, 2013 |

• Vermont
• legislature

By John Flowers

MIDDLEBURY — While lawmakers spent much time at a legislative breakfast at the American Legion hall in Middlebury on Monday talking about taxes, they also discussed important legislation for the farm community, among other things.

At the top of the list was a bill that would require the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms, known as GMOs.

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Legislators hold out little hope for Bottle Bill changes

Posted on March 21, 2013 |

• Vermont
• legislature

By John Flowers

BRISTOL — A local citizen is urging lawmakers to make changes in the law that discourages Vermonters from littering.

At Monday’s legislative breakfast at the Bristol American Legion Hall, some of the legislators discussed the tenuous prospects this session for an expanded Bottle Bill. Some residents, like Bristol’s Peter Grant, argued the current 5-cent deposit doesn’t provide enough incentive anymore for people to keep and redeem their containers. As a consequence, an increasing number of cans and bottles are becoming litter.

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