South Burlington Implements Interim Zoning Bylaws
On November 13th, after a heated debate from residents, developers and affordable housing proponents, the South Burlington City Council voted 4-1 to implement interim zoning bylaws which will restrict the development of new buildings in most of the southeastern part of the city. The interim bylaws would not apply to the developing city center area, the areas surrounding Williston Road and Shelburne Road, the region near the airport and a couple of the industrial parks in the city.
The bylaws focus on the city’s southeastern quadrant, which is a less developed and a more residential part of the city. The regulations will go into place for nine months, and the council can extend them for three-month periods up to two years.
Vermont Attorney General Opposes EPA Vehicle Emissions Rollback
Earlier this year, the EPA called for an evaluation of its previously issued final 2022-2025 vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards, which call for an annual 4.4 percent reduction in emissions. The agency, along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, proposed a new rule this August that would freeze 2020 standards from 2021-2026.
Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan and colleagues from 20 other states say in comments filed on October 26’th that the EPA’s reversal “constitutes a wholesale abdication” of the agency’s Clean Air Act mandate to minimize harmful air pollutants. The agency issued a finding in 2009 that singled out six greenhouse gases from vehicles as endangering public health. The coalition is calling on the EPA to withdraw the proposed rollback, saying that the Trump administration’s proposal will lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and stymie U.S. car manufacturer innovation over the next six years.
US Government Affairs Updates
(partial listing as reported by ASHRAE.org,)
- DOE Proposes New Process for Grid Security Information
- DOE Secretary Completes Visits to All 17 National Labs
- Puerto Rico Experienced Increased Air Pollution from Generators That Used Fuel with High Sulfur Content
- NIST Report on Building Occupancy Post-Disaster
Refer to the following link for additional information on the above topics:
Dick Wilcox
GAC Committee Member