Current News

Vermont Business Magazine US Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Director for Rural Development Sarah Waring today announced $17.5 million in loan and grant funding for the City of Vergennes’ water and wastewater infrastructure project. Made through USDA’s Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program, the investment will combine with $7.5 million in leveraged funds secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan Act via the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC). Voters approved the $25 million bond measure in March, and the project will take place in two segments, including an overhaul of the wastewater treatment facility, five sewer main segment replacements and a pump station upgrade.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced signing of the following bills into law today, as passed by the General Assembly: S.113, An act relating to establishing a cause of action for medical monitoring expenses; S.183, An act relating to midpoint probation review; S.184, An act relating to defense of others and justifiable homicide.

Vermont Business Magazine On April 20, 2022, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group held its 195th Annual Meeting of policyholders and Directors, reporting on Company results for 2021. Over the course of 2021, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group reached several historic milestones, increasing its written premium by 5.9% to $577 million and growing policyholders’ surplus by more than 13% to a record $743 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2022 “State of the Air” report, released today by the American Lung Association, finds that Vermont’s air quality remains among the cleanest, with some of the lowest levels of the most harmful and widespread types of air pollution: particle pollution and ozone. The Burlington-South Burlington metro area was one of only 10 cities in the nation to rank as a cleanest city for all three measured pollutants. Compared to the 2021 report, Chittenden, Rutland and Bennington counties maintained their grades from last year’s report (A, A and B respectively). Bennington experienced fewer unhealthy days of high ozone in this year’s report.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on April 14, 2022, Aron Lee Ethridge, 41, of Henderson, Nevada was indicted on charges of participating in a conspiracy resulting in the kidnapping of Gregory Davis, a resident of Danville, Vermont, on January 6, 2018.

Ethridge had his initial appearance on this charge in the District of Vermont on April 20, 2022, and he has a detention hearing scheduled for April 25, 2022.

The indictment identifies Ethridge’s co-conspirator as Jerry Banks, who was indicted on April 14, 2022, in the District of Vermont on kidnapping charges. The indictment charging Ethridge explains how Banks communicated with Ethridge about the kidnapping and murder of Davis.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington’s Thermal Energy Charter Change, proposed by Mayor Miro Weinberger and approved by voters on Town Meeting Day 2021, was signed into law Wednesday by Governor Phil Scott, with some reluctance, after having been passed by the Vermont Legislature earlier this month. This Charter Change will enable Burlington to expand its strategic electrification efforts and represents another step toward making Burlington a Net Zero Energy city.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, in partnership with VEIC, announces the availability of free assessments for Vermont small businesses interested in switching from fossil fuels for their heating needs to Advanced Wood Heat (AWH). AWH includes a wide scale of technologies, from small EPA certified wood stoves all the way to wood chip boilers appropriate for large commercial buildings. If the business is a good fit, they will then determine the potential upfront costs and long-term savings and have the opportunity to participate in a more technical, no-cost follow-up assessment.

Vermont Business Magazine EcoFlow, a portable power and renewable energy solutions company, today kickstarts its partnership with Vermont-based reforestation non-profit One Tree Planted to 'Make the Change' amid rapid climate change. Beginning April 18, EcoFlow will donate one dollar to One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every customer who registers for the 'Make the Change' program. EcoFlow will also plant a tree for every purchase made during Earth Day celebrations.

Vermont Business Magazine This Earth Day, Friday April 22, Goodwill Northern New England is reducing waste by investing $1.5 million in new methods of storing and transporting clothing and household donations. For years, the nonprofit used big cardboard boxes and wooden pallets to move items, and large metal racks to store the boxes. Starting this week, Goodwill now will use much more sustainable materials that are safer for employees, waste less material, and save money by being so durable. Goodwill expects this sustainability project to pay for itself in less than three years. Every single shirt donated to Goodwill goes into one of these cardboard boxes before hitting a sales floor — the scope of this project is huge.

by Linda Gray I hear on the news about the current increases in heating oil and gas prices, but they aren’t hitting my wallet. Why? Because in 2015, my late husband and I installed a heat pump on the main floor of our home, and in 2020, I installed another (on the basement level), plus a heat-pump water heater. We had previously weatherized our home, installed solar panels in the field below our house, and bought an electric car. We did all this because we knew two key things from my husband’s 30 years of work on renewable energy: 1) the reality of the climate crisis means that we need to stop burning fossil fuels, and 2) making these changes would save us money in the long run. Those two ideas are also embedded in the Clean Heat Standard bill in the Vermont legislature.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has released the Vermont Master Angler Program 2021 Annual Report with 1,169 entries and 73 Master Angler Award recipients. Vermont’s wealth of waters and abundant fish populations provide many opportunities to experience outstanding fishing. The Vermont Master Angler Program recognizes the achievements of anglers who catch trophy-sized fish from Vermont waters and celebrates the clean water and healthy habitats that allow these fish to survive and grow to exceptional sizes. The Vermont Master Angler program is a length-based program that sets “trophy sized” benchmarks for 33 eligible fish species.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation hosts a monthly Clean Water Lecture Series aimed at raising awareness on the State’s efforts to improve water quality for Vermont’s rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. The Series continues into April and May, with three new talks covering efforts to reduce water pollution stemming from forest lands and roads, as well as efforts to restore and protect wetlands. Learn more and register for these virtual talks on the Department’s Clean Water Lecture Series webpage.