Vermont environment coverage
VTDigger reports on environmental issues across Vermont, including climate change, energy policy, agriculture, conservation and water quality.
Here you’ll find coverage of environmental policy, scientific developments and the local impacts of decisions that shape the state’s natural resources.
Federal change to Endangered Species Act could affect Vermont’s vulnerable wildlife
As the Trump administration rescinds the definition of “harm,” environmental experts explain what the change could mean for Vermont.
Vermont proposes changes to primitive camping in the state for the first time in 33 years
Campers would be required to adhere to stricter policies surrounding campfires, where camps are set up in relation to bodies of water and following carry-in, carry-out practices.
Phil Scott administration pushes through wetlands changes, despite lawmakers’ objections
By paring back its original proposal to loosen wetland protections, the administration won support from an environmental group that had threatened a lawsuit.
After years of neighbor opposition, a private airstrip for Beta’s CEO nears approval
The latest stages of state and federal approval have been conducted without public hearings. Some neighbors say their safety concerns haven’t fully been considered.
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“The information I find here is not available elsewhere.”
‘The worst possible catch-22’: Fish and Wildlife struggles to combat bear rumors
“What happens when you call us, 99% of the time, is that we give you advice on how to coexist with the bear,” said the department’s public information officer. “That’s what we want to be doing and that is what mostly happens.”
Killing trees to save the forest: The deadly experiment to rescue the American elm
Researchers in Vermont infected 5,300 of the trees with a lethal dose of Dutch elm disease in hopes that the survivors can eventually help build a genetically diverse and disease-resistant population. So far, the results are promising.
Asbestos complicates Royalton mill demolition
The delay has dismayed residents, who’d been told the mill would be gone by spring. Last fall, the Royalton Selectboard gave property owner Eric Jacobs 120 days to remove the structure.
Changes to the state’s vehicle inspection system create a compromise for Vermonters
A new state law will allow vehicles to pass their annual inspections with minor defects, a shift from previous stricter policies.
As strong El Niño develops off the Pacific, experts say Vermont impact is tough to tease out
What local impacts, if any, should residents expect?
‘I still worry’: Vermonters recount floods’ impacts at anniversary climate panel
“Disasters don’t end when the water recedes,” one person who lost her mobile home said. “They reshape lives for years.”
A choice ‘on a scale from environmental to spiritual’
Higher Ground Conservation Burial launches at the Manitou Project in Williamsville, marking the milestone with a tour and music.
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