The state Environmental court has accepted the terms of a settlement reached by groups that had opposed an expansion to the Wal-Mart in Bennington, Vt.
Developer Jonathan Levy of BLS Bennington had secured permits from the town in 2006 to double the size of the Wal-Mart to about 112,000 square feet.
But The Vermont Natural Resources Council and a citizens’ group had appealed local and state permits to expand the store.
The Bennington Banner reports the main component in the settlement is $200,000 in payments from BLS Bennington to support downtown Bennington.
The settlement also includes additional plantings to enhance water quality protection, and a separate payment of $25,000 from BLS Bennington to support projects to maintain, enhance or restore the Walloomsac River watershed.