Consumer Reports data shows 29% of heat pumps broke or stopped working by year eight—halfway through their expected lifespan. Modern cold-climate models can operate at temperatures as low as -23°F, but whether they save money depends on loc
Vermont's climate policy requires 2,000 acres of solar panels annually. But the math is challenging: capacity factors around 15%, winter production dropping 40-60% below summer levels, and zero output during cold evenings when heating deman
Vermont’s H.740 would spend $800,000 to expand greenhouse gas reporting and build a new fuel emissions database. But Vermont already collects fuel volume data through existing tax systems. The bill’s new county and sector mandates may creat
Vermont Democrats have introduced S.298, a sweeping “Voting Rights Act” bill that expands the ability of voters and advocacy groups to sue municipalities and the state over election practices. With new mandates, Attorney General oversight,
The Vermont Senate adopted SR 21 condemning two Minneapolis shootings as "extrajudicial killings" — before any investigation has concluded. Sponsored by creative writing professor and Senate Pro Tem Philip Baruth, the resolution was rushed
Ben & Jerry’s was cited by the Vermont DEC for the highest number of wastewater pretreatment violations in 2024, leading a statewide list of 17 industrial permittees found in significant non-compliance. The report highlights missed monitori
The chair of the House Human Services Committee declared residency verification for emergency housing a constitutional "non-starter" — then scrapped H.594's entire accountability framework. But federal case law distinguishes between waiting
The Otter Valley Unified Union Board declined to reverse its decision to relocate Caverly Preschool, despite a 6–4 vote in favor of keeping the program in Pittsford and overwhelming public opposition. Board rules required seven votes, leavi
Vermont treats routine police stops as lawful authority requiring compliance, yet frames similar immigration enforcement as coercive and illegitimate. The mechanics are the same: show papers, follow orders, challenge later in court. The dif
Rep. Michael Tagliavia pitched H.767 to the House Energy Committee — an eight-year moratorium on five of Vermont's biggest climate and land use laws. His argument: Vermonters are drowning in costs while the state layers on regulations that
As Vermont’s new land-use system moves from statute to map, voting records reveal a clear pattern. The counties that voted “yes” in the greatest numbers are also the wealthiest—and the ones best positioned to benefit. Poorer regions backed
Vermont’s new land-use framework is reshaping the state’s economy, not just its maps. By concentrating growth into a narrow footprint, pressuring towns to opt in or face higher regulatory costs, and advancing land-use designations before al
