Inspired by the EPA’s superfund cleanup program, the bill aims to hold companies responsible for contributing to climate change and its harmful impacts.
A new Vermont law modeled on the Environmental Protection Agency’s superfund program would require companies with high emissions to pay for climate-change-induced damages.
According to an article by Maura Barrett and Lucas Thompson for NBC News, “The amounts owed would be determined based on calculations of the degree to which climate change contributed to extreme weather in Vermont, and how much money those weather disasters cost the state. From there, companies’ shares of the total would depend on how many metric tons of carbon dioxide each released into the atmosphere from 1995 to 2024.”
Revenue would go toward “modernizing infrastructure, weatherproofing schools and public buildings, cleaning up from storms, and addressing the public health costs of climate change.”
If passed, the law is expected to face what could be a lengthy process of legal challenges. The American Petroleum Institute, one of the major lobbies for the interests of oil and natural gas companies, sent a letter to the state Senate opposing the bill, saying it “violates equal protection and due process rights by holding companies responsible for the actions of society at large.”
FULL STORY: Vermont passes bill to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change
Trump Administration Unfreezes Pennsylvania Climate Funding Amidst Lawsuits
Funding for air and water quality programs still at risk.
How to Make Manufactured Housing More Resilient
Manufactured housing builders must balance affordability with the need to protect housing against extreme weather events.
Trump Attacks Environmental Rules Amid Flurry of Executive Orders
Several executive orders signed on Monday seek to repeal Obama- and Biden-era environmental regulations and roll back goals to encourage the shift to electric vehicles.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research