MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Millions flowing to Vermont’s outdoor recreation scene to improve flood damage and beyond.

The Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative — or VOREC — recently announced 6.3 million dollars in grants to support outdoor rec across the state.

It’s going to 51 projects focused on improving outdoor spaces and who gets to access them.

The most money they’ve ever doled out, VOREC says they pushed for an additional million to help flood-ravaged communities revive their outdoor recreation economy.

“It’s pretty incredible to see how communities investing in their resources can really bring life back to their downtown centers,” VOREC Program Manager Jackie Dagger said.

The VOREC grants also set aside dedicated funding for projects focused on outdoor equity.

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Vermont this week became the first U.S. state to pass a law that requires oil and gas companies to pay for climate change-related damage caused by their emissions, a move that is sure to prompt legal challenges from the energy industry.

Gov. Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature late Thursday, citing concerns about the costs and outcome of the small state taking on “Big Oil” alone in a long and expensive fight.

“With just $600,000 appropriated by the Legislature to complete an analysis that will need to withstand intense legal scrutiny from a well-funded defense, we are not positioning ourselves for success,” Scott said in a letter to state lawmakers.

But “I understand the desire to seek funding to mitigate the effects of climate change that has hurt our state in so many ways,” the governor wrote.

The American Petroleum Institute has said it is “extremely concerned that the [law] retroactively imposes costs and liability on prior activities that were legal, violates equal protection and due process rights by holding companies responsible for the actions of society at large; and is pre-empted by federal law.”

New York, California, Massachusetts and Maryland are considering similar legislation.

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RICHFORD — Vermont State Police are calling for assistance from the community in identifying a suspect involved in the recent theft of two all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in Richford.

The first theft occurred on May 28 at approximately 7:25 a.m. on Dubois Drive in Highgate, where an ATV was stolen and later discovered after an accident on private property.

A trail camera captured an image of the suspect, described as wearing black pants and a grey sweatshirt, at the crash site.

In a separate incident the following day, the same trail camera recorded a person driving another ATV, which had been reported stolen from a nearby garage.

The individual in the image was dressed in jeans and a black vest.

The stolen vehicles have been returned to their rightful owners.

Authorities have not yet identified the accused and are urging anyone with information to come forward to aid in the investigation.

Witnesses or those with relevant information are encouraged to contact Vermont State Police at 802-524-5993.