Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) is seeking public input on proposed changes to Vermont’s Use of Public Waters Rules. ANR will host two hybrid public meetings on January 27 and February 4. The public is welcome to provide feedback during these meetings or through written comments. “The Use of Public Waters Rules protects the uses and natural resource values of all public waters for this and future generations,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “The proposed changes clarify new wakesports regulations and update language on topics such as petition review. We invite members of the public to share their comments on these proposed changes.” In 2024, Vermont adopted new wakesports regulations that limit wakesports with a wakeboat to the wakesports zones of inland lakes. There are 30 inland lakes where wakesports can occur within a specific wakesports zone.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ – UNB) today announced results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2025, and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $2.7 million, or $0.60 per share, compared to $3.0 million, or $0.67 per share, for the same period in 2024 and $11.1 million, or $2.43 per share for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $8.8 million, or $1.94 per share for the same period in 2024. Earnings for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, were reduced by the impact of the strategic balance sheet repositioning whereby the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Union Bank, executed the sale of $38.8 million in book value of its lower-yielding available-for-sale debt securities for a pre-tax realized loss of $1.3 million, which was recorded in the third quarter of 2024.

Vermont Business Magazine State Auditor Doug Hoffer released an audit today of the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Service’s (BGS) administration of a program intended to reduce energy use in state-owned buildings. The audit found that state government must re-dedicate itself to saving taxpayer money, and protecting the environment, by reducing unnecessary energy usage. In the last 10 fiscal years (2016-2025), the energy costs in state government buildings have cost taxpayers $137 million. In 2011, the Legislature required state agencies to reduce their energy consumption by 5 percent annually. In 2014, it created the State Energy Management Program (SEMP) to identify and implement energy efficiency projects in State buildings. The SEMP is run by the Energy Office in BGS.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Governmental Affairs, and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and a group of Democratic Senators in condemning proposed staffing cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In their letter to Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, the Senators highlight how the Trump Administration’s planned cuts would risk the FEMA's ability to fulfill its mandated duties supporting communities and protecting people’s lives and livelihoods. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Economic Development announced today that 2025 ranks among the top three growth years in Vermont’s captive insurance industry since captive legislation was enacted in 1981, marking six consecutive years (2020–2025) among the top ten growth years and underscoring Vermont’s sustained leadership and stability amid global market change. In 2025, Vermont licensed a total of 51 new captive insurance companies, bringing the total number of active captives to 707. Early indicators suggest continued momentum, with 4 new captives licensed in the opening weeks of 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak has announced that the City will open an extreme cold weather shelter in partnership with the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) at the Miller Center at 130 Gosse Court in response to the dangerously cold weather forecasted this week. After reviewing weather modeling in consultation with the City’s Emergency Management Director, officials have determined the forecasted temperatures the evenings of Friday, January 23, Saturday, January 24, Sunday, January 25, and Monday, January 26 meets the City’s criteria for operation of an extreme cold weather shelter.   

Vermont Business Magazine Chroma Technology Corp today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its subsidiary, 89 North, an expert in the development of advanced laser-based illumination systems based in Williston, to Oxxius Inc, a France-based company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Oxxius is a recognized leader in designing, developing, and manufacturing high-performance lasers and combiners. In a statement announcing the sale, they said the transaction positions both companies for accelerated growth while allowing Chroma Technology, based in Bellows Falls, to continue its focus on advanced optical filter technologies and growth in related products.

Vermont League of Cities & Towns The Municipal Assistance Center is currently receiving a high volume of questions related to town meeting, so response times may be a bit longer than usual. Staff are replying as soon as possible and greatly appreciate your patience. Many town meeting resources are available on our website. If You Get an Email from [email protected], Action IS Required! This email, with the subject line “*ACTION REQUIRED* Closeout Instructions for the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), U.S. Department of the Treasury”, is not SPAM. Do not delete it. Your time for ARPA funding closeout has arrived! You cannot begin the closeout process before you get this email.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott delivered his 10th budget address to the General Assembly at the State House Tuesday afternoon, which reduces the property tax burden, shores up the transportation fund all while without raising taxes or fees on already overburdened Vermonters. The governor asked lawmakers to fix, not just fund, the systems which are no longer working while also continuing to strengthen education, housing, affordability and public safety to increase our workforce, and reverse demographic trends. Along with a $9.4 billion total budget request, Scott is asking lawmakers to direct $105 million from existing funds and expected surplus toward buying down about half of an expected property tax shortfall. The Legislature did the same last year.

Vermont Business Magazine On January 14th, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced the launch of Burlington’s 2026 Housing Strategy. This marks a major step forward on one of the mayor’s top priorities: creating ample, safe, and affordable housing for the Burlington community. “Burlington has always dared to imagine a city where housing serves people, not just markets,” Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak said. “We are at a crossroads. We can accept a future where only a few can afford to live in Burlington, or we can choose to lead, as we have before. My administration will build on that proud progressive legacy with a housing strategy that meets this moment — one that puts residents first, expands opportunity, and ensures Burlington remains a place where people can stay, grow, and belong.”

Vermont Business Magazine Six University of Vermont Grossman School of Business students are stepping into full-time, paid Co-op roles at leading employers this January—marking the launch of Vermont’s first undergraduate business Co-op program. The Grossman Co-op Program, supported by a $15 million gift from the Grossman Family Foundation announced in September 2024, transforms classroom learning into immersive, career-building experiences. Students work full-time for four to six months in roles aligned with their academic focus, then return to campus to complete their degrees equipped with real-world skills and insights.

Senator Bernie Sanders Over the past several years, one of my top legislative priorities as Chairman, and now Ranking Member, of the Senate HELP Committee has been to address the primary care crisis in America, the massive shortage of doctors, nurses, dentists and mental health professionals in our nation, and to lower the outrageous cost of prescription drugs. Given the extremely dysfunctional political environment in Congress, I am proud that we were able to reach a bipartisan health care deal to begin to provide meaningful relief to the American people on all of these major crises. Under this agreement, community health centers will receive the largest increase in mandatory funding in a decade, equivalent to a rate of $4.6 billion through the end of the year — nearly $1.2 billion more than Republicans put on the table. Community health centers are the backbone of our primary care system, providing high-quality care to over 32 million Americans, including 9 million children.