Act 250
Coverage of Act 250 in the Nexus archive.
- Killington passes budget after second vote but tumult still reigns
Killington successfully passed its $7.6 million budget after a second voter vote despite significant ongoing town government turmoil and financial irregularities. Operational problems include staffing shortages, requiring an interim employee to manage town operations, while large infrastructure projects have been delayed. Town leaders are facing scrutiny due to alleged misconduct and calls for a forensic audit.
- Vernon community and the state grapple with potential redevelopment of Vermont Yankee site
The former Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant site in Vernon, closed in 2014 with over 100,000 tons of nuclear waste, is being considered for redevelopment by PowerTransitions. Potential projects include a data center, battery storage, or a small-scale nuclear reactor. NorthStar is decommissioning the site, while Vermont's regulatory process (Act 250) could delay approvals for years.
- Scott’s data center veto was a mistake
Gov. Phil Scott vetoed H.727, a bill to regulate large-scale AI data centers in Vermont through Act 250 permitting, which failed a veto override attempt in the legislature. The bill aimed to address environmental and financial impacts of data centers, including high energy use and water consumption, but Republicans blocked the override, allowing the veto to stand.