Vermont
Vermont becomes 1st state to enact law requiring oil companies pay for damage from climate change
(AP) — Vermont has become the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by climate change after the state suffered catastrophic summer flooding and damage from other extreme weather.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature late Thursday, saying he is very concerned about the costs and outcome of the small state taking on “Big Oil” alone in what will likely be a grueling legal fight. But he acknowledged that he understands something has to be done to address the toll of climate change.
“I understand the desire to seek funding to mitigate the effects of climate change that has hurt our state in so many ways,” Scott, a moderate Republican in the largely blue state of Vermont, wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
The popular governor who recently announced that he’s running for reelection to a fifth two-year term, has been at odds with the Democrat-controlled Legislature, which he has called out of balance. He was expected by environmental advocates to veto the bill but then allowed it to be enacted. Scott wrote to lawmakers that he was comforted that the Agency of Natural Resources is required to report back to the Legislature on the feasibility of the effort.
Last July’s flooding from torrential rains inundated Vermont’s capital city of Montpelier, the nearby city Barre, some southern Vermont communities and ripped through homes and washed away roads around the rural state. Some saw it as the state’s worst natural disaster since a 1927 flood that killed dozens of people and caused widespread destruction. It took months for businesses — from restaurants to shops — to rebuild, losing out on their summer and even fall seasons. Several have just recently reopened while scores of homeowners were left with flood-ravaged homes heading into the cold season.
Under the legislation, the Vermont state treasurer, in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, would provide a report by Jan. 15, 2026, on the total cost to Vermonters and the state from the emission of greenhouse gases from Jan. 1, 1995, to Dec. 31, 2024. The assessment would look at the effects on public health, natural resources, agriculture, economic development, housing and other areas. The state would use federal data to determine the amount of covered greenhouse gas emissions attributed to a fossil fuel company.
It’s a polluter-pays model affecting companies engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil attributable to more than 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during the time period. The funds could be used by the state for such things as upgrading stormwater drainage systems; upgrading roads, bridges and railroads; relocating, elevating or retrofitting sewage treatment plants; and making energy efficient weatherization upgrades to public and private buildings. It’s modeled after the federal Superfund pollution cleanup program.
“For too long, giant fossil fuel companies have knowingly lit the match of climate disruption without being required to do a thing to put out the fire,” Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, said in a statement. “Finally, maybe for the first time anywhere, Vermont is going to hold the companies most responsible for climate-driven floods, fires and heat waves financially accountable for a fair share of the damages they’ve caused.”
Maryland, Massachusetts and New York are considering similar measures.
The American Petroleum Institute, the top lobbying group for the oil and gas industry, has said it’s extremely concerned the legislation “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 preempted by federal law.”
“This punitive new fee represents yet another step in a coordinated campaign to undermine America’s energy advantage and the economic and national security benefits it provides,” spokesman Scott Lauermann said in a statement Friday.
Vermont lawmakers know the state will face legal challenges, but the governor worries about the costs and what it means for other states if Vermont fails.
State Rep. Martin LaLonde, a Democrat and an attorney, believes Vermont has a solid legal case. Legislators worked closely with many legal scholars in crafting the bill, he said in statement.
“Most importantly, the stakes are too high – and the costs too steep for Vermonters – to release corporations that caused the mess from their obligation to help clean it up,” he said.
Dear Reader,
Vermonters are facing a growing affordability crisis. From housing and health care to child care and groceries, many people are struggling to keep up.
These pressures affect communities in every corner of the state.
That’s why VTDigger is launching a new reporting beat focused on wealth, poverty and economic opportunity in Vermont. This beat will dig into the root causes of economic hardship, examine the systems meant to offer support and elevate the stories of Vermonters navigating these challenges every day.
Thanks to our partnership with Report for America, we have secured partial funding for the role. Now, we’re asking our readers to help us close the gap and bring this position to life.
In order to launch this beat, we need to raise $50,000. A generous Vermont donor will match all gifts made before Saturday, June 14. Will you be one of the readers who makes this new beat possible?
Why this work matters now
Vermont has long depended on imported wealth to sustain its economy, but is this model still working?
This new reporter will explore the challenges and opportunities facing different communities. From rural poverty and housing insecurity to the impacts of demographic shifts sparked by the pandemic, this beat will cover a broad range of topics including:
- Root causes of Vermont’s affordability crisis
- The experiences of Vermonters most affected by economic challenges
- Regional disparities and areas for change
- Gaps in state services and nonprofit safety nets
- How economic policy affects Vermonters differently depending on geography, age and background
This beat will help ensure that policy conversations are grounded in reality, informed by evidence and inclusive of the full range of Vermonters’ experiences.
Backed by Report for America and readers like you
VTDigger is honored to be selected as a host newsroom by Report for America, a nonprofit journalism service program that places talented reporters in local newsrooms to cover underreported topics. The program covers a portion of the reporter’s salary, but requires that the remainder come from community support.
Unlike some chain-owned commercial media, VTDigger is a nonprofit news organization that does not charge subscriptions to read our work — so readers from all economic backgrounds have access to the information they need. But, we can only hire and sustain our team with our readers’ support. We don’t receive federal funding, and every dollar we raise, we put into fulfilling our mission.
You can help us close the gap and launch this vital work. If you value fact-based reporting that explains complex issues, amplifies unheard voices and holds power to account, please consider making a donation.
Your support — whether $15 or $500 — will be doubled and help us launch this beat with care, accuracy and a community mandate.
Thank you for your readership and support.
Sincerely,
Lesli Blount
Chief Revenue Officer, VTDigger
DUMMERSTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Two New Hampshire men are facing charges for fentanyl trafficking.
Police say around 2p.m. Saturday a deputy with the Windham County Sheriff’s Office saw a vehicle driving erratically on I-91 near Dummerston.
They found the driver 57-year-old Joseph Kahlenbeck, and 34-year-old Ronald Laroche concealing 100 bags of fentanyl between the two of them.
Police arrested both men for trafficking and transporting fentanyl into the state of Vermont.
They were processed and released on criminal citations to appear in court on July 29.
Copyright 2025 WCAX. All rights reserved.
After nearly 15 years working in the food industry, Deven Bora, owner of Early Bird Catering in Colchester, has been handed an unexpected opportunity: filming a pilot episode for Eat This TV, an online network featuring culinary content. The chef has now launched a GoFundMe hoping to bring the project to life.
The 30-year-old started his journey in the food industry at age 16, working in a fast-food restaurant. At first, he was just trying to earn some money, but as he continued working at sandwich and bagel shops, restaurants like Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, and catering events, he became more interested in the industry.
“I got to either decide to finish college, or I got to go in a different direction, which was take the experience that I did have, working in the food industry and try and make something of that. So that’s the path I went down,” he said.
That’s when Bora started the Community Kitchen Academy, a nine-week course to learn culinary skills, including fundamentals of food safety and sanitation, labeling and repurposing food to avoid waste.
Community Kitchen Academy tries to gather produce from grocery stores, farms and food service companies to prevent waste, and after students have used the ingredients to prepare meals, the academy distributes them to shelters and meal sites.
A study conducted by the University of Vermont in 2022 showed that 2 in 5 Vermonters experienced food insecurity.
“It was kind of nice that I was able to have that opportunity but also give back to the community,” Bora said.
In March 2022, Bora decided to start a catering business. He began by catering for small events, like bachelorette parties and family dinners, while working at Goodwater Brewery. Then he was subcontracted to provide meals for local army bases, allowing him to focus on his business full time and open a physical location in Colchester.
Early Bird Catering specializes in various cuisines, including Italian, Greek, American and Mexican dishes. Bora also uses seasonal produce from local farms whenever possible.
“We’ve started featuring a fall seasonal menu for weddings this year,” he said. “For the months of August through October, we have specifically catered menus that are highlighting the best of available products and produce for those months in Vermont.”
When he received a call from Eat This TV asking him to participate in a pilot episode for the show, Bora said he was surprised.
“I didn’t sign up for anything, so I didn’t know if it was just like a spam call kind of thing,” he said. But after learning more about the network and the pilot opportunity, he got excited.
While the network will cover production costs, Bora is financially responsible for the renting the test kitchen, the ingredients for his dishes, and travel and lodging costs during the episode’s filming in New York.
“I felt that the GoFundMe was the easiest way to help raise some of this money,” Bora said. “I really want to make the opportunity happen.”
If the pilot receives good ratings, Bora said, the network might ask him to develop a 12-episode series.
Bora has until the beginning of July to raise enough money and confirm his participation in the program. In the meantime, he is already thinking about the recipes he wants to use in the 30-minute pilot. He is certain that he wants the dishes to showcase some Vermont ingredients and products.
“I thought if I got the opportunity, it would be a great way to just kind of tie where I’m from into it and make it a little more special,” Bora said. “That way, in the pilot episode, I can kind of pay a little homage to Vermont.”
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