AN EXECUTIVE ORDER MEANT TO SPEED UP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN VERMONT IS GETTING PUSH-BACK. SOME NON-PROFIT GROUPS SAY THAT THE ORDER WAS AN ILLEGAL OVERREACH. THE E-O HAS ALL STATE AGENCIES PRIORITIZING PERMITS FOR HOUSING OVER ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS… WHICH GROUPS LIKE THE “VERMONT NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL” AND “A-C-L-U” ARE NOW CALLING áILLEGAL. THEY ARE SAYING STATE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE “AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES” ARE TIED UP WITH PRE-EXISTING STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS… AND IF THEY COMPLY WITH THE GOVERNOR’S ORDER… THEY WOULD END UP BREAKING áOTHER RULES. GOVERNOR SCOTT RESPONDED TO THE ACCUSATION TODAY… SAYING HE BELIEVES HIS ADMINISTRATION IS IN WORKING IN THEIR AUTHORITY. <Gov. Phil Scott / Vermont: “I think it’s essential, for us to to grow our way out of this. We have to have housing to bring in more workers. For the workforce that we’re — we’re lacking in to provide you know the critical basic needs it’s high enough priority to issue this.”> GOVERNOR SCOTT SAYS THAT TH
Vermont nonprofits question legality of Gov. Scott’s recent executive order on housing
Updated: 6:04 PM EDT Oct 15, 2025
Six Vermont nonprofits have signed off on a letter addressed to members of Gov. Phil Scott’s cabinet on Wednesday. The document claims that the governor’s recent executive order on housing is an illegal action. Executive Order 06-25 was signed by Gov. Scott in September. It makes it so that all state agencies prioritize permits for housing over all other applications. It also requests the judiciary to prioritize residential housing appeals.The nonprofits questioning the legality of the EO include: Vermont Natural Resources Council, Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club – Vermont, Vermont Conservation Voters, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, and ACLU of Vermont. They claim that state entities like the Agency of Natural Resources are tied up with pre-existing state laws and regulations. If they comply with the governor’s order, they end up breaking other rules.Gov. Scott said his administration will “answer the charge,” and believes the EO is a just authority. “I think it’s essential for us to grow our way out of this,” Scott said. “We have to have housing to bring in more workers, for the workforce that we’re lacking in to provide… we think it’s necessary and we think it’s high enough priority to issue this.”
Six Vermont nonprofits have signed off on a letter addressed to members of Gov. Phil Scott’s cabinet on Wednesday. The document claims that the governor’s recent executive order on housing is an illegal action.
Executive Order 06-25 was signed by Gov. Scott in September. It makes it so that all state agencies prioritize permits for housing over all other applications. It also requests the judiciary to prioritize residential housing appeals.
The nonprofits questioning the legality of the EO include: Vermont Natural Resources Council, Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club – Vermont, Vermont Conservation Voters, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, and ACLU of Vermont.
They claim that state entities like the Agency of Natural Resources are tied up with pre-existing state laws and regulations. If they comply with the governor’s order, they end up breaking other rules.
Gov. Scott said his administration will “answer the charge,” and believes the EO is a just authority.
“I think it’s essential for us to grow our way out of this,” Scott said. “We have to have housing to bring in more workers, for the workforce that we’re lacking in to provide… we think it’s necessary and we think it’s high enough priority to issue this.”