[G]ov. Phil Scott’s veto of S.103, a bill to regulate toxic chemicals, was upheld this week by nearly the entire House Republican caucus.
The move frustrated both environmental advocates and the Bennington delegation, who supported the legislative response to dangerous PFOA contamination in their districts.
But the effort to suppress new environmental regulations may not be the last this session. Another bill, S.197, would increase polluters’ liability for harming residents. While the legislation narrowly passed the Senate, the governor has already said he would oppose S.197 because he says it creates barriers for businesses in Vermont.
Sen. Brian Campion, a Bennington Democrat who sponsored both bills, said he’s been disappointed by the governor’s actions.
“I never really saw this particular governor as an environmentalist,” Campion said this week.
But the veto still surprised him.
“I thought he had really understood what happened in Bennington and wanted to make sure that these kinds of things didn’t happen [again]. In that way, it surprised me personally.”
Campion hopes S.197 has a shot at becoming law. But if the proposal joins S.103 in the veto bin, he plans to continue introducing measures aimed at resolving the pollution crisis his constituents still face.
On this week’s podcast, Campion talks about how the legislation would prevent future toxic contamination and how the administration has blocked chemical restrictions.
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