Current News

VermontBiz Magazine The Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living hosted a showcase of Accessible Housing Pilot Projects at the State Office Complex in Waterbury on December 6. The participants in the showcase are recipients of an Accessible Pilot Planning Grant created by Act 186 of 2022. The Champlain Housing Trust, Upper Valley Services, and Riverflow Community Inc. presented their housing initiatives to create innovative housing options for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

VermontBiz Ski Vermont has launched its popular Fifth Grade Passport for the 2024-25 season. The program provides any fifth grader, regardless of state or country of residence, access to 90 days of skiing at ski areas across Vermont

“The Passport program gets kids outside to experience skiing and snowboarding. It’s a chance to learn and enjoy what can become healthy, lifelong activities,” says Ski Vermont President Molly Mahar. “Data show that the earlier a child starts skiing, the more apt they are to continue throughout their lifetime and benefit from the physical and mental health benefits that go along with that. The Passport Program is an opportunity for kids to foster a connection with the outdoors at ski areas across Vermont.”

VermonBiz National Life Group has achieved a new milestone in its corporate philanthropy, donating $913,940 to 595 nonprofits nationwide through its annual employee donation matching program, “Share the Good.” During the month of November, National Life Group employees, directors, and retirees contributed $455,470 with the National Life Group Foundation matching each gift up to $2,000 and including an additional $3,000 in support.

VermontBiz The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced the award of eleven electric vehicle (EV) public fast-charger projects that will contribute toward the build out of Vermont’s charging network to federal and state specifications.

With $9.3 million in federal funding and more than $4 million in private sector investment and Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, these awards are for the installation of 60 new fast-charging ports throughout Vermont. A port charges a single vehicle at a time. Each location will have between four and eight ports that can charge at a rate of at least 150 kilowatts per hour.

VermontBiz On Wednesday, Campaign for Vermont Prosperity (CFV) released a report examining migration patterns into and out of the state using Census and Internal Revenue Service data.

The report found that Vermont’s domestic and international in-migration is not significant and is insufficient to keep pace with the deficit of deaths to births in the state, contributing to the state’s demographic problems. Further, the report found that people leaving the state historically have generated more income than those moving into the state, however this reversed during the pandemic. It is unclear at this point whether this reversal from previous trends is permanent, or just the lingering effects of the pandemic.

VermontBiz Governor Phil Scott, the Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL), and the McClure Foundation announced the release of Vermont’s Most Promising Jobs, featuring more than 50 occupations expected to pay a median wage above $30/hour and have at least 300 openings over the next decade. 

“We have tens of thousands of jobs available in Vermont,” said Governor Scott. “It’s more important than ever we make sure our kids, and adults looking for new careers, know about all the good paying, in demand opportunities here in the state.” 

VermontBiz As Vermonters prepare for colder weather, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is urging drivers to switch off their ignition to limit unnecessary idling of their vehicle engines.

“Idling isn’t good for your car or our air,” said DEC Commissioner Batchelder. “It not only causes excess engine wear and wastes fuel and money, but it also pollutes our air which impacts our health, climate, and environment.”

In Vermont, motor vehicles are a significant source of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. The exhaust from vehicle idling degrades air quality for all Vermonters and is most detrimental to children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Environmental Advocacy Clinic, on behalf of six leading climate scientists, has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit). The amicus brief urges the court to uphold the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) vehicle emissions standards, known as “Emissions Standards for Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicles” (Emissions Standards). The Emissions Standards require vehicle manufacturers to phase-in technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new light- and medium-duty vehicles, including passenger vehicles and small cargo trucks. These standards rely on clean car technologies, such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full battery electric vehicles. The Emissions Standards will lower the emissions of harmful pollutants, which protects public health, and benefit consumers by decreasing fuel costs and the need for vehicle maintenance and repairs.

Vermont Business Magazine As the year comes to a close, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking annual reports on surface water withdrawals. Under Act 135 of 2022, any person withdrawing surface water must file an annual report with DEC by January 15, 2025. The purpose of Act 135 is to collect baseline data on the use of surface waters such as rivers, streams, brooks, creeks, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Anyone who withdraws 10,000 gallons or more of surface water within 24 hours – or 150,000 gallons or more over 30 days – is required to fill out an online form to register and report their withdrawal.  

Vermont Business Magazine The 2025 Vermont Watershed Grants Program is now accepting applications for projects that protect, restore and enhance the state's lakes, streams, rivers, and ponds, including Vermonters’ ability to understand and enjoy these treasures.  Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday February 5, 2025. Program grants are available to municipalities, local and regional government agencies, sporting clubs, non-profit organizations, and water-related citizen groups.  Projects that seek to directly protect or restore fish and aquatic wildlife habitat are strongly encouraged.  Examples of past funded projects include streamside vegetation restoration the removal of old dams and replacement of culverts to improve fish passage. For 2025, $70,000 is available to fund three categories of projects. The three categories and the maximum amount for each project type are: education and outreach ($5,000); planning, assessment, inventory, monitoring ($3,500); and on-the-ground implementation ($10,000).

VermontBiz U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took to the Senate floor Tuesday to advocate for the freedom of political prisoners around the world. The Senators urged bipartisan cooperation to secure the release of prisoners of conscience who are detained, often in inhumane conditions, for peacefully expressing views that are critical of their repressive governments.  

VermontBiz  Yesterday, the Economic Services Division of the Vermont Department for Children and Families announced the implementation of an administrative procedure to prioritize providing emergency housing assistance. Under this administrative procedure, certain individuals who are eligible for General Assistance Emergency Housing Assistance under Act 113 will nonetheless be deprioritized, including disabled Vermonters under 50 years old. 

What this means is that people who are under the age of 50 living with disabilities who don’t meet another priority category are not able to access emergency housing through the same process as any other individual eligible under ACT 113. They will have limited access to get inside and shortened time frames when they do.