Photo: South Burlington housing development (Glenn Russell)
Guests: Kati Gallagher, Catherine Dimitruk, Attorney General Charity Clark
On this week’s episode of the Democracy Dispatch Podcast, I’m joined by Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director at Vermont Natural Resources Council, and Catherine Dimitruk, Executive Director of Northwest Regional Planning Commission, for a conversation about Act 250 reforms proposed in H.687, a bill heading to the House floor this week. The two speak to how Act 250 reform can both foster smart growth housing and better protect the environment. They describe the bill’s nexus with planning, walk through the concept of location-based jurisdiction and proposed tier structure, and how regional planning commissions work to provide mapping and planning for communities.
We also outline positive votes on the floors of both the House and Senate last week – including on the Flood Safety Act, Renewable Energy Standard modernization, and phase-out of toxic neonicotinoid pesticides – and which bills we expect votes on this week.
Lastly, Attorney General Charity Clark returns to the podcast to share her thoughts on proposed PFAS and chemical regulations, making Big Oil pay, and legal action her team is taking to protect our environment.
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