ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the aspects of Killington Resort to explain why the Act 250, itself an important aspect of ecosystem protection in the Vermont. As Deane Davis travelled through Vermont's rural towns during his gubernatorial campaign, he discovered that Vermonters were forming dozens of environmental groups. As the environmental movement began to coalesce nationwide, Vermonters were beginning to put their own stamp on the face of environmentalism in their state. Although Vermont's leaders recognized a lack of planning as a threat, they never implemented the state-level planning component that was originally intended to complement the state-level permitting system for specific developments. The events that started with Parker's Gore and ended with the Agreement illustrate how the stakeholders can use the Act 250 review process as leverage. The rise of grassroots environmental activism in Vermont since the mid-1980s guaranteed that Killington Resort's owners would face a significant challenge to their desire for expansion.
