This bill appropriates $143,000 from the General Fund to the Agency of Natural Resources for a grant to the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation (GMEDC). The funds will cover GMEDC's costs to reinitiate brownfields redevelopment at the Upper Valley Regional Landfill in Post Mills, Thetford, specifically for a probate proceeding to appoint GMEDC as administrator. This facilitates transferring the landfill site to new ownership for redevelopment. The grant is for fiscal year 2027 and directly affects GMEDC and the landfill site's future use.
This bill appropriates $143,000 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2027 to the Agency of Natural Resources, which will grant the funds to the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation (GMEDC). The money specifically covers GMEDC's costs for a probate proceeding to obtain a Court Appointed Administrator, enabling the transfer of the Upper Valley Regional Landfill site in Post Mills, Thetford, to new ownership. This step is required to redevelop the brownfields site, which is a contaminated or underused industrial property. The bill directly affects GMEDC and the redevelopment plans for the landfill site.
H.652 prohibits all landfill leachate discharges - whether treated or untreated - from entering the Lake Memphremagog watershed. This includes direct discharges from landfills or transfers to wastewater treatment facilities within the watershed. The bill targets PFAS-contaminated leachate, citing studies showing Lake Memphremagog has the highest PFOS levels in Vermont (2.8 ppt) and fish with PFAS at 1,000 ppt. It directly affects landfill operators and wastewater facilities in the watershed, banning any discharge that could harm the lake’s water quality or public health.
S.217 requires mattress producers (including manufacturers, importers, and brands selling in Vermont) to create and manage collection programs for discarded mattresses. It establishes a system where producers - either individually or through a stewardship organization - must cover the costs of collecting, recycling, or responsibly disposing of mattresses when consumers discard them. The bill defines key terms like "discarded mattress" (any mattress a consumer abandons or intends to discard) and excludes items such as mattress pads, waterbeds, and baby products from coverage. This shifts responsibility for mattress waste management from local governments and consumers to the producers themselves, creating a structured program for environmentally sound disposal.
This bill requires Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to create a regional plan by January 2025 for managing septage (waste from septic tanks), sludge (treated wastewater solids), and biosolids. The plan must establish regional districts for waste disposal, identify regional acceptance sites at wastewater facilities, address cost-sharing between towns, and handle contaminants like PFAS. It directly affects all Vermont municipalities and wastewater treatment facilities that manage these materials. The plan must include public input and will take effect July 2025.
H.292 bans the land application and sale of biosolids, sewage sludge, or similar liquid wastes containing PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) after testing confirms their presence. It requires mandatory PFAS testing before any land use or sale and prohibits landfill disposal of such materials if PFAS levels exceed Vermont’s hazardous waste standards. The bill directly affects wastewater treatment facilities, agricultural landowners using sludge as fertilizer, and waste management companies handling these materials. Key provisions include establishing testing protocols, public disclosure of results, and enforcing the bans for both land application and disposal. These changes aim to prevent PFAS contamination in soil and water from waste products.
This bill requires Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to study packaging waste management by January 2027. The study will examine current recycling rates, barriers to reducing plastic waste, health/environmental impacts of packaging chemicals, and opportunities for reuse programs. It also bans the use of chemical conversion technologies (like breaking down plastic into fuel or oil) for plastic waste disposal in Vermont. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.
This bill requires Vermont's Secretary of Natural Resources to assess the feasibility of establishing a facility that processes waste expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam into reusable blocks for recycling. It directs the Secretary to coordinate with waste management companies, haulers, and businesses generating EPS foam waste, and to submit a report by January 15, 2026, with recommendations on location, costs, landfill disposal policies, and public access. The assessment will determine whether such a densifier should be built and how it would operate, but does not mandate the facility or ban EPS foam from landfills. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and is currently under review by the Environment Committee.
H.319 establishes an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for household hazardous products in Vermont, requiring manufacturers to register with stewardship organizations by November 2025. These organizations must submit collection plans by July 2026 to manage free statewide recycling of covered products like gas cylinders and certain hazardous waste items (excluding architectural paint). The bill mandates that manufacturers cannot sell covered products without participating in an approved stewardship program, which must include annual reporting and audits. It directly affects manufacturers of specific hazardous consumer products sold in Vermont, shifting responsibility for end-of-life management from municipalities to producers. The legislation does not create new environmental standards but reorganizes waste management accountability through mandatory industry registration and program oversight.
