Current News

Vermont Business Magazine JD Power’s annual national survey of utility customers places Green Mountain Power (GMP) first among midsize utilities in the East Region for customer satisfaction.  The survey of 127,000 customers nationwide focuses on utility reliability, cost, and customer service. “Study data shows that customers expect their utilities to deliver reliable service, provide easy access to information and frequent updates on outages and planned restoration. When utilities streamline billing and digital self‑service, and deliver timely outage alerts, satisfaction rises even in a cost‑pressured environment.”

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.08 per gallon, down 2 cents per gallon from last week, down 4 cents/g from last month and down 3 cents/g from last year, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.77/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 52.0 cents per gallon. Prices are lowest in Bennington ($2.91/g) and Rutland ($2.97/g) counties and highest in Lamoille ($3.17/g), Chittenden ($3.16/g), and Washington ($3.16/g). The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.89/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, this week joined U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee, and 14 Democratic Senators in introducing the Seniors Deserve SMARTER (Streamlined Medical Approvals for Timely, Efficient Recovery) Care Act, bicameral legislation to prohibit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model that is set to begin January 1, 2026, and last for six years.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has announced that Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak will join Jack Crivici-Kramer, co-host of the nationally celebrated business podcast The Best One Yet, as keynote speakers at the 2026 Vermont Economic Conference, Vermont’s premier economic event. The conference will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at Hotel Champlain in Burlington. In a fast-paced keynote conversation titled Finance, Storytelling, and the Forces Shaping the Economy, Pieciak and Crivici-Kramer will explore the economic forces influencing Vermont and the broader national landscape.

The Vermont State Police is investigating after a multi-vehicle crash closed Interstate 89’s southbound lanes from Richmond to Bolton on Wednesday evening, Dec. 17, 2025. Preliminary investigation indicates the crash occurred at about 5:40 p.m. and involved a wrong-way driver and a tractor-trailer unit, in addition to other vehicles. There is at least one fatality. The interstate ws closed southbound at Exit 11, the Richmond exit, and traffic was diverted. The highway was reopened just after 11 pm Wednesday.

by Mike Donoghue The Burlington School District has agreed to a nearly $500,000 out-of-court settlement with former High School Athletic Director Jeanne Hulsen, who lost her job five years ago. Hulsen filed an equal pay violation lawsuit in U.S. District Court in November 2020 claiming she was cut loose from her high school job when the position was redefined and a younger man was hired at a substantially higher pay rate for the new post in August 2020. Under the settlement Hulsen will be paid $295,000 in lost wages, according to records obtained by Vermont News First through Vermont's Public Records Law. The payment covers claims for accrued sick time, vacation time, retirement and other benefits, the 4-page signed agreement notes. Hulsen's lawyer will receive a separate check for $180,000 for legal fees and costs, records show.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, BETA Technologies (NYSE: BETA) joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy as the Administration unveiled a new strategy to accelerate the rollout of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) across America. The Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy: A Bold Policy Vision for 2026–2036 signals a clear and coordinated commitment to accelerate the development and deployment of BETA’s AAM aircraft and systems. The plan seeks to leverage existing infrastructure, modernize air traffic management, prioritize U.S. manufacturing, and develop a domestic workforce to meaningfully scale AAM operations in the United States.

Vermont Business Magazine The Nature Conservancy in Vermont (TNC) has announced the conservation of 190 acres of land in Pawlet, Vermont, expanding TNC’s North Pawlet Hills Natural Area to nearly 1,600 acres. This acquisition marks TNC’s eighth conservation project in the area and continues a decade-long effort to protect a beloved hiking area and one of Vermont’s most ecologically diverse landscapes. The North Pawlet Hills are defined by Haystack, Middle, and Bald Mountains, known as “The Three Sisters”, and four smaller hills, forming a striking cluster of forested peaks in the northern Taconic Mountains. 

Vermont Business Magazine Central & Main, a new 25-unit affordable housing development in downtown Windsor, has been recognized with a Best Builders Award by the Associated General Contractors of Vermont. The award was presented to project builder and AGC/VT member Neagley & Chase Construction at the organization’s annual awards ceremony on December 3 in Burlington. Central & Main won in the category of New Green Construction. Developed by Windham & Windsor Housing Trust in partnership with Evernorth, and designed by Duncan Wisniewski Architecture, Central & Main brings highly efficient, thoughtfully designed affordable housing to a long-vacant lot at 133 Main Street.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermonters prepare for colder weather, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is urging drivers to switch off their engine to limit unnecessary idling. Idling vehicles impact our health, climate, and environment by causing excess engine wear, wasting fuel and money, and polluting the air. If every gasoline- and diesel-powered car and truck in Vermont reduced unnecessary idling by one minute per day over one year, Vermonters would save over one million gallons of fuel and more than $3.8 million in fuel costs as well as contribute to cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 10,000 metric tons.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2026 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 4, 2026. 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.

Vermont Business Magazine The Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA) is proud to welcome four new members to its Board of Directors: Kevin Donohue of Thetford, Suzanne Dudley-Schon of Hanover, Jon Hampton of Norwich, and Bob Hedges of Orford. Together, they bring diverse professional expertise, decades of nonprofit leadership experience, and a deep commitment to outdoor access and community stewardship.