Just received this, worth passing on:

Dear VNRC members, activists and friends,

The 2009 legislative session started last week with a real eye-opener for Vermonters who care about the environment. Governor Douglas came out of the gate in his fourth inaugural address with a proposal to severely undermine Vermont’s landmark land use and development law — Act 250.

Calling Act 250 and other environmental permitting a hindrance to economic development — when leading economists and the state’s own facts say otherwise (http://www.vnrc.org/article/articleview/23695/1/624/) — the governor proposed weakening one of Vermont’s best tools to protect the environment. As VNRC and many others contend, Act 250 has actually helped insulate Vermont from the more drastic economic woes befalling other states.

In short, Act 250’s strength and integrity is essential to maintaining a resilient economy and the very foundation upon which it is based — a healthy environment. We need your help to stop this assault! Please call your legislators today and ask them to halt the Governor’s attempt to weaken Act 250. (http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm)

Find out more here: http://www.vnrc.org/article/articleview/23695/1/624/ and check out our first Dispatches from the State House (http://www.vnrc.org/) on this issue. For broader context, check out the Brattleboro Reformer’s editorial blasting the governor’s shortsighted idea (http://www.reformer.com/reformereditorials/ci_11383984) or listen to VPR’s coverage of the story. (http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/83556/)


Beyond working with legislative leaders to beat back this attack on Act 250, VNRC is back in the State House pressing for good policy that stems water pollution, protects our forests for energy, recreation, wildlife and wood products, promotes energy efficiency and renewables and moves us away from dangerous nuclear power.

One other important issue to act on today falls on the heels of two recent accidents at Vermont’s antiquated nuclear power plant, Vermont Yankee. Ask your legislators to support shutting Vermont Yankee down in 2012 and, instead, move the state more quickly towards a clean, green, efficient and renewable energy future. (http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm)

Stay tuned for a full legislative update in next week’s Dispatches from the State House, VNRC’s web site and all of us for updates on the most pressing environmental issues facing Vermont. We look forward to working with you and thanks for all you do to make this state an incomparable place to live, work and play.

Sincerely,
The VNRC Team – Elizabeth, Jon, Johanna, Jake, Jamey, Steve, Brian, Kim, John, Steff, and James
www.vnrc.org