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When the Trees Came Back
In the late 1800s, Vermont was a very different place. Its hills were largely cleared, its soils exhausted, and its economy struggling under the weight of overused land. In When the Trees Came Back: The Great Battle to Save Vermont’s Forests, retired judge and historian Bob Mello tells the story of how Vermonters confronted that crisis and how the state’s forests slowly returned.
Toxics Reform Round-up: Artificial Turf and Metals in Baby Food
Vermont has led the way on toxics reform for decades. We’ve continued to build upon legislation at the vanguard, whether it’s banning fracking, single-use plastic bags, or the sale of consumer products containing PFAs – harmful “forever chemicals”. Last biennium, we worked on a policy that added banning artificial turf with PFAs to the list. Now that legislation is showing up directly in the community of Hinesburg, where there is a proposal to install artificial turf at the state’s largest high school.
Why Vermont’s Wind Energy Development has Withered
For a time, Vermont was building wind. Several projects brought renewable, in-state energy online, powering tens of thousands of homes and helping diversify our electricity mix. At one point, wind was poised to play a much larger role in Vermont’s clean energy future. But over a decade ago, that momentum stalled. No new utility-scale wind projects have been built since. So what happened?
Act 181 and Vermont’s Land Use Policy
Last week, one of the most debated policies in the Senate was S.325, a bill that was crafted to adjust components of Act 181 – last biennium’s Act 250 land use reform policy. As debate has ramped up both inside the building and out, it seemed like perfect timing to take a closer look at one of the most consequential policy conversations happening in Vermont right now. It’s all about protecting critical natural resources and addressing the state’s housing crisis all at once.
Keeping Roads, Walkways, and our Waters Safe
Senator Anne Watson joins to discuss that bill and efforts to reduce road salt pollution and protect water quality. We also dig into the issues shaping Vermont’s future, touching on the committee’s priorities this session from the ongoing work on Act 181 and land use reform, to the broader landscape of climate and energy policy, affordability challenges, and what’s ahead as legislation crosses over from the House.
Halftime Report 2026
We’re doing our annual Halftime Report on the 2026 session. Dan Fingas and Justin Marsh walk through where some of the biggest environmental and democracy issues stand right now – what’s moving forward, what’s stalled, and what to watch as the second half of the session begins and the biennium winds down.