Emma Cotton
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Lawmakers wrestle with how to regulate runoff from dairy farms
In late February, and again in late March, Gerard Vorsteveld sat in front of a room of state lawmakers. After remaining mostly quiet during years of legal battles…
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Republican gains in state legislature may force adjustments to climate policy
Democratic leaders in the Statehouse appear open to changing or abandoning some of the climate and environmental policies they’ve championed in recent years following their party’s major losses…
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State begins testing milk for avian flu
Late last week, at the University of Vermont dairy farm in South Burlington, Jess Waterman climbed up to an opening in a large storage tank, inserted a long…
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Telephone Gap logging project is taking shape
After years of debate, the U.S. Forest Service issued a draft plan last week for managing more than 72,000 acres of public and private land, called the Telephone…
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New regulations placed for wake boats on Vermont lakes
In April, Vermont enacted long-debated, statewide restrictions on wake boats, designed to create large wakes for recreation with a goal of preventing environmental harms. The new rule only…
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Judge finds Panton dairy farmers in contempt of court, orders fines barring major changes to farm
A judge has found a family of Panton dairy farmers in contempt of court after they failed to stop water from coming out of a drainage system on…
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Panton farm runoff: Supreme Court denies farm’s request
The Vermont Supreme Court has denied a request from the owners of a Panton dairy farm that would have alleviated the burden of a court order issued in March…
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Controversial bill on Vermont wildlife fails
Over the last several years, a debate over how to manage wildlife has become a symbol of a broader cultural divide in Vermont. During the recently concluded legislative…
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Climate bills face opposition from Gov. Scott
In the past week, three of the legislative session’s biggest climate bills passed out of their second chamber, and are likely to head to the governor’s desk soon.
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Salisbury fish hatchery closing looms
To the dismay of some anglers, state officials have proposed a plan to close a historic Vermont fish hatchery in Salisbury to cut costs within the Vermont Fish…
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As the climate changes, more Vermonters rely on state climatologist
In the days and months after the July floods that devastated much of Vermont, Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux’s inbox filled with requests.
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Vt. House supports clean heat standard bill
The bill would mandate that Vermonters pay for their heating sources’ impact on climate change, but rulemaking would take two years.
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Storm hammers animal sanctuary
After losing their income during the COVID-19 pandemic, selling their former farm sanctuary in Benson and starting over in Middlebury this year, Erika and Mark Butel felt like…
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New help offered for home weatherization projects
A new program announced last week will add to a suite of incentives available to Vermonters who want to weatherproof their homes.
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Grants offered for water quality projects
The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board is offering grants as large as $40,000 to farmers for projects that help protect water quality.
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Vermont eyes gas vehicle ban
State regulators are on the cusp of adopting a rule that would push Vermont’s market for new passenger cars to all-electric in a little more than a decade.