Vermont Business MagazineToday, the Vermont House made an important step forward in addressing a long-standing history of environmental injustices. It passed Vermont’s first statewide legislation.Environmental Justice bill, S.148By a vote of 219 to 31. The Senate will then review the House changes to the bill.
Vermonters of color and low-income Vermonters have been burdened with environmental problems for too long. They also have less access to clean energy options and a healthy environment. S.148 is crucial to address these disparities. The House’s decisive vote today is the next step to make this bill a law.
The Environmental Justice bill, which is a top priority for the environmental community this session will be crucial in bringing Vermont in line the majority of states working to design meaningful justice solutions through deep public engagement and partnership. The bill would provide Vermont with a statutory definition of environmental injustice, help it address structural inequities, as well as set Vermont on a path towards a future in which a clean environment is prioritized for everyone.
This important policy was co-created by many Vermonters of color, including Black, Indigenous, and Vermonters of colour. Recent meetings in Montpelier saw many community leaders, advocates and legislators.to demand the passage of S.148The House closed its work on this bill.
Lauren Hierl, Executive Director, Vermont Conservation Votersadded. Every Vermonter deserves to have access to a clean, healthy environment. It is great to see that the House voted in support of the Environmental Justice bill. Thank you to all the Representatives for their hard work in strengthening, supporting, and advancing this legislation, including Speaker Jill Krowinski, Rep. Kari Donlan, and Rep. Coach Christie who provided important leadership on this matter.
S.148 would be passed by the House as follows:
- Codify the definition for Environmental Justice. This will make it the policy of the States that no part of the population should be disproportionately affected by environmental benefits or burdens.
- Establish an Environmental Justice Advisory Council made up of key community stakeholders. This council will have real power to influence decisions-making and best practices in environmental justice through meaningful public engagement and analysis of cumulative environmental burdens.
- As a visual assessment tool for navigating environmental justice issues in Vermont, create a statewide Environmental Justice Mapping Tool.
- To ensure that every Vermont resident is able to participate in decisions that affect their health and well-being, require state agencies to create formal community engagement plans.
- Set a goal to invest in environmental justice population, encouraging the state’s proactive delivery of environmental benefits to communities most affected by historic injustices.
5.4.2022. MontpelierVermont Conservation Voters
