Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) released the following statement ahead of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ hearing to consider the nominations of David Roser, Lindsay See, and Judy Chang to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for terms ending in 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively: “Updating America’s aging transmission infrastructure is key to unlocking the climate benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act and, in-turn, reducing emissions and strengthening our energy grid. The current anemic state of the FERC Commission is holding back progress, and this hearing to consider new nominees has frankly taken too long – we’re dangerously close to losing quorum, and risk stalling progress or a total standstill of FERC business during this pivotal moment in our climate revolution."

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Dr. Jill Bowen as commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) within the Agency of Human Services (AHS). Dr. Bowen comes to Vermont from Philadelphia where she has served as commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS) for more than three years. During her tenure with DBHIDS, she led a multi-division department focused on health and wellness for those with intellectual disabilities, mental health, and substance use disorders. She also focused on supports for those impacted by healthcare disparities, trauma and those requiring integrated, cross-sector supports. 

Vermont State Police Daniel Banyai, 50, of Pawlet is scheduled to be arraigned at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21, 2024, in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Rutland on charges of aggravated assault on a protected person and resisting arrest. The criminal charges follow Banyai’s arrest Wednesday afternoon on a mittimus issued last year by the Environmental Division of Vermont Superior Court. Banyai was taken into custody after Pawlet Second Constable Tom Covino pulled over a vehicle for speeding in town and discovered Banyai in the passenger seat. An investigation by the Vermont State Police determined that Banyai engaged in a physical altercation with Constable Covino before the constable deployed OC spray on Banyai to gain his compliance.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, Mayor Miro Weinberger and Aviation Director Nic Longo unveiled the City’s plans for a new terminal building “Project NexT” to replace the north concourse, the latest and largest sustainable infrastructure project at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. The new design will enhance operational efficiency while improving the traveler experience and will set the stage for future growth at the airport. Present at the announcement was Senator Patrick Leahy, who directed $34 million in FAA funds to execute the project. The terminal building will be transformed to become linear and interconnected to enhance operational efficiency and safety. For travelers, improved amenities will be offered, inclusive of new vendor space, gate areas, and jet bridges. For airport partners, airline storage and baggage claim space will be re-designed to meet current equipment needs.  

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting education and honoring the sacrifices of military families by partnering with the National Guard Association of Vermont (NGA-VT) to award $1,000 scholarships to four deserving area students. This year, the scholarships were awarded to Avery Feeley, Abigail Gagnon, Colby Galipeau, and Bennett Bridges, who were selected from a pool of applicants that included students or family members of those serving in the Vermont National Guard.

Lake Champlain Committee Stormwater runoff poses a major challenge for water quality in Lake Champlain. When rain falls on impervious surfaces, it does not have the chance to infiltrate into the ground and instead flows over roofs, parking lots, and roads—collecting pollutants and nutrients along the way—until it eventually reaches the lake, untreated. Runoff from developed land contributes more phosphorus to Lake Champlain than any other land use type per area. As the intensity and frequency of heavy precipitation events increases with climate change, efforts to mitigate stormwater runoff are increasingly critical. LCC has done extensive work on stormwater reduction at schools over the years including producing a stormwater education manual, conducting storm drain stenciling projects with educational facilities and municipalities, undertaking “Ahead of the Storm” stormwater assessments, and collaborating with Lake Champlain Sea Grant (LCSG) to develop the Soaking Up Stormwater Curriculum Guide.

Vermont Business Magazine Repeated storms in recent months have challenged the Vermont Electric Co-op, causing several back-to-back power outages across our territory. These strong and damaging wind and snow events – a phenomenon we expect to continue – have put a spotlight on power reliability and resiliency. How is VEC planning for the future? Join us Thursday, March 28 from 12-1 pm for a conversation with experts about the changing weather and VEC’s strategic investments in reliability and resilience. What impacts are changing weather patterns having on the reliability of VEC’s electricity system? What investments is VEC making on behalf of our members to protect our system from the effects of these more frequent, intense storms? How will we pay for these investments?

Vermont Business Magazine The ACLU and the Twin Valley School District have settled a complaint filed with the Vermont Human Rights Commission (HRC) on behalf of C.B., a Black student who was subjected to racially motivated bullying and harassment by classmates during the 2020-2021 school year. The ACLU filed the complaint with the HRC against Twin Valley Middle High School in December 2021, alleging that school administrators took no meaningful action to protect C.B.—the only Black student in the school at the time—from derogatory racial slurs, references to white supremacy, and threats of physical violence. Fearing for her safety, C.B. did not participate in school sports, her grades declined, and she developed anxiety and depression. Ultimately, C.B. was forced to transfer schools, just weeks before the school year ended.  

Vermont State Police On March 20, 2024, at approximately 1024 hours, Vermont State Police dispatch received multiple 911 calls for reports of a TT unit that jack-knifed on Interstate 89 at mile marker 79.6 in the town of Williston blocking the flow of traffic. Preliminary investigation indicated that the operator was going too fast for road conditions. The result of this crash caused several other vehicles to initiate emergency stops. This resulted in several other crashes including a sprinter van into a TT unit, a dump truck going off into the median, a passenger vehicle into a TT unit and lastly a separate TT unit jack-knifed. One individual was transported to UVM Medical center for suspected minor injuries. 

Vermont Department of Economic Development It’s mid-March and we are in the throes of the legislative session. The dearth of housing across the economic spectrum is our greatest barrier to affordability and growing our economy. I know some of you have offered jobs to out-of-state candidates who can’t take them because they can’t find adequate housing at a reasonable price in Vermont. We need to increase our housing stock to keep the workers we have, bring in those who want to move here, and to entice our children to stay in the Green Mountains. We didn’t get here overnight. Vermont has been underbuilding for decades.  So, the Scott Administration is offering several ways to ramp up production; reform land use laws and permitting processes to incentivize housing development in areas where we want it, and make targeted investments in programs like the Vermont Housing Improvement Program that has created 535 affordable units since 2020. Right now, the legislature has two bills that deal with housing and land use.  In the Senate, S.311 is in the Natural Resources Committee. Meanwhile, House bill H.687 is a land use bill that doesn’t address housing at all. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, US Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act, legislation to give relief to those who have been victims of fraud, scams, thefts, accidents, and other personal casualty losses. The legislation reinstates the tax deduction for personal casualty and theft losses that were stripped away by the 2017 GOP tax law, forcing victims of scams, robberies, storms, and fires to pay taxes on stolen assets, further wiping out their hard-earned savings and financial security.  

by Will Guisbond, Community News Service Vermonters got word last October that JetBlue Airways would leave Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, a significant blow considering the airline’s lone route to New York’s John F. Kennedy International carried about 10% of all traffic coming in and out of the field. The airline, in a statement to local media at the time, cited air traffic controller shortages in the greater New York City area as the primary driver behind its decision. Those labor challenges appear to have hit other airlines in Burlington too: Delta Air Lines revealed around the same time that it would reduce service on its own route to New York’s Kennedy airport. But more was going on behind the scenes at JetBlue. Interviews with former congressional and airport staff — and airline schedule data analyzed by the Community News Service — show the New York-based airline was mulling a break with the Burlington airport almost five years earlier and had been struggling with revenue there for years.