Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Vermont Agency of Agriculture (VAAFM) will receive a $92,200 matching grant from the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) to enhance domestic export opportunities and market channels for Vermont agricultural products. Out of a total $1,005,906 in FSMIP funding awarded to 15 different projects in this 2015 application period, the state of Vermont received the third largest grant at $92,200.

by Mike Faher/The Commons For local residents and state officials, the central, painful reality of post–Vermont Yankee planning is that there is nowhere to take the plant’s spent nuclear fuel. That doesn’t mean, however, that there haven’t been conversations about the eventual removal of that waste from the Vernon property. As part of its attempts to develop a nationwide plan for transporting nuclear waste to a centralized storage facility, the U.S. Department of Energy recently has made inquiries with Vermont officials and has scheduled a visit to Vermont Yankee.

Vermont Business Magazine For Vermont's town forests, 2015 is a landmark year, marking 100 years since state lawmakers passed a municipal forest law that allowed for the creation of these forests. To celebrate, a day-long event packed with speakers, workshops and networking opportunities is planned for November 7 in Randolph Center. The Community Conservation Summit: Celebrating 100 years of Vermont Town Forests will be held at Vermont Technical College in Judd Gymnasium from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is open to the public and designed to bring together conservation commissions, forest committees, municipal officials and community volunteers to share ideas and explore issues relating to town forests and other natural resources, including how to establish a new town forest or strengthen community involvement in existing properties

Pre-registration is required by Nov. 2. The cost is $15 per person or $12 for AVCC members and includes lunch.

Vermont Business Magazine As part of building a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network across the state, Green Mountain Power is offering nearly $50,000 in four separate grants to build four solar-paired electric vehicle charging stations. Applications will be accepted until October 23. “We are so excited to be placing more charging stations where lots of Vermonters will use them, and having the sun power it all,” said Dorothy Schnure, GMP spokesperson. “As Vermont’s Energy Company of the Future, our goal is to help Vermonters save money and reduce fossil fuel use through innovative products and services like these chargers paired with solar, all while continuing to provide highly reliable, clean and cost-effective power.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin issued the following statement Wednesday after Amtrak announced that partial service will be restored on the Vermonter line thursday following Monday’s derailment in Northfield. The Vermonter northbound train will operate from Washington to Saint Albans as normal. Passengers traveling southbound will continue to be transported by bus to Springfield, MA,. or New Haven, CT, where they will board other Amtrak trains. The Vermonter is scheduled to arrive in St Albans at 8:57 pm.

Vermont Business Magazine After six years with the Town of Killington, Town Manager Seth Webb, announced he was stepping down to take a new position in the private sector. Webb has accepted the position of Managing Director at New York based Tusk Ventures, the first political strategy firm which specializes in helping startups analyze and navigate regulatory and political challenges at local, state and national levels and pursue opportunities in the public sphere.

“We’re happy for Seth, but this is a loss for the Town. He has made some tremendous contributions, acting both as Town Manager and Economic Development Director, and filling his shoes will be a challenge” said Selectboard Chair Patty McGrath. “We have begun our search and expect to have a replacement hired by the end of the year.”

The Selectboard announced that they will enlist the Vermont League of Cities and Towns to conduct the search for the next Town Manager.

by Patrick Leahy Imagine a successful and popular program that saves our special natural places, such as parks, recreation areas, wildlife refuges and forests. Imagine further that this is accomplished not with tax dollars but with royalties paid by companies that extract oil or minerals from our public lands. What’s not to love about a program like that? Now imagine that some in Congress want to kill or weaken that program. In fact, its charter just expired on October 1.

For 50 years, a bipartisan commitment has promoted the preservation of our national parks, forests and refuges, and the vistas that are so iconic in our national identity. But today we find ourselves yet again in the midst of a made-in-Washington crisis that devalues this history of shared commitment, replacing it with the misplaced ire of those who do not understand its profound, community driven impact on the land and on our economy.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Board has announced the opening of this year's grant cycle and the availability of approximately $550,000 in grant funds for the 2016 program year. The grants will fund forestry and agriculture projects that enhance Vermont's communities, economy, and culture. The applicant guide can be found at http://workinglands.vermont.gov/apply/rfp and application information sessions for each investment area will be held October 9th and 14th (see below for details).

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Bank Foundation announced that it has awarded $14,100.00 in grants and pledges to ten non-profit organizations in Vermont during their third quarter grants cycle. Some of the organizations receiving support include the Dorset Theatre Festival, You Are Never Alone Foundation, Fletcher Memorial Library, Manchester Riverwalk Association, and the Town of Manchester.

· Dorset Theatre Festival based in Dorset, VT received a grant to support their student matinee performances for local school children.

· You Are Never Alone Foundation based in Dorset, VT received a grant to support their education and awareness programs for homeless individuals.

· Fletcher Memorial Library based in Ludlow, VT received a grant to support their 2015 summer reading program.

Vermont Business Magazine Melvyn Patashnick, President and CEO of Copley Health Systems, Inc. has announced plans to retire in August 2016, after nearly ten years of service with Copley Hospital. “Mel has been a passionate advocate for rural health care and we are grateful for his leadership and dedication to Copley,” said Nancy Putnam, Chair of Copley Health Systems’ Board of Trustees. “Beginning in 2007, he helped Copley move through a period of transition and consolidation, emphasizing Quality Management and collaboration. Under his leadership, Copley has been honored as a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital, a HealthStrong Hospital and one of the Top 50 hospitals in New England based on patient satisfaction. Copley will not be the same without him. He has made Copley better, which is a wonderful gift he has given our community.”

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) says Vermont farmers markets and other outlets will receive five federal grants totaling $581,745 to support local and regional food systems. The grants are part of $42.4 million granted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to states and local organizations throughout the country. Leahy, the most senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was a leading author of the 2014 Farm Bill to authorize funding for local foods and value-added products, under these programs.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Public Service Department reached agreement today with Vermont Gas Systems to limit the cost to ratepayers for the Addison County Natural Gas Pipeline Project to $20 million less than the company's current cost estimate. The customer costs of the project will be capped at $134 million, according to the Memorandum of Understanding that was presented to the Vermont Public Service Board, which is the regulator and will determine whether the project will go forward. The original cost of the project was $86 million, now it is $154 million. Construction, land and legal issues have driven costs to nearly double just since early 2014.

PSD Commissioner Christopher Recchia issued the following statement regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU):