Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) customers now have two new home battery programs they can enroll in starting on June 5, after a Vermont Public Utility Commission order issued late Wednesday. GMP’s Tesla Powerwall and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs are both modeled on the company’s popular and groundbreaking pilot programs that have shown proven cost savings for all GMP customers, while providing convenient and seamless back up power to participating customers during outages. GMP is the first utility in the country to get tariff approval to offer customers these types of programs.

Vermont Business Magazine New England should have the necessary resources to meet peak consumer demand for electricity this summer under both typical and extreme weather conditions, according to ISO New England Inc., the operator of the region’s bulk power system and wholesale electricity markets. Societal changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to change consumer demand for electricity during the summer months, but these changes do not pose a reliability threat because the system is designed to handle fluctuations in consumer demand. ISO New England has observed a 3% to 5% decline in consumer demand attributable to the pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today introduced the Paycheck Security Act to cover the wages and benefits of employees of affected businesses and non-profits until the economic and public health crisis is resolved. The Paycheck Security Act would act to avert mass layoffs, stem catastrophic unemployment levels, and prevent irreversible business losses, prevent millions from losing their health insurance, and provide resources for firms to rehire laid-off and furloughed workers and restore their health care benefits.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan announced today that Michael Hartigan of Randolph, Vermont, was arraigned on May 14, 2020, on two felony counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, two felony counts of Promotion of Child Pornography, and two misdemeanor counts of Voyeurism. Hartigan pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Vermont Superior Court, Orange Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Thomas A Zonay presiding, ordered him held him without bail.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Layoffs, furloughs and business closures due to the COVID-19 economic downturn and Governor Scott's emergency order and subsequent mitigation efforts have resulted in a rush of unemployment insurance claims. But as Scott has allowed more sectors to get back to work, initial and ongoing claims have now decreased every week since the peak in early April.

Vermont Business Magazine As we see the first signs of summer this Memorial Day weekend, health officials are reminding Vermonters to enjoy the outdoors safely – which includes continuing to take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19. Temperatures will be warmer than we’ve had yet this year, so it’s important to take extra caution in early season heat. Even though it’s not as hot as mid-summer, it can take several weeks for our bodies to adjust to warmer conditions, so ease into outdoor activities.

Vermont Business Magazine Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) will celebrate its 20th Anniversary at this fall’s annual REV conference. REV2020: Power to Renew will take place virtually with regular sessions through October and November. Each session features a keynote, panel discussion and opportunity to network with leading figures in the renewable energy sector. REV2020 convenes top business, policy, and finance experts from across New England in all four major clean energy sectors: electricity, heat/cooling, transportation and efficiency.

by Nolan Atkins, Northern Vermont University Provost All of us at Northern Vermont University are greatly relieved that the immense value that NVU and Vermont Tech-Randolph bring to Vermont has been recognized and that the former Vermont State Colleges Chancellor took his proposal to close NVU and Vermont Tech-Randolph off the table. However, we also recognize that business cannot continue as usual. Significant challenges, greatly exacerbated by COVID-19, call for a right sizing and substantial transformation of the entire Vermont State Colleges System. To continue to serve Vermonters into the future, NVU’s budget will need to be reduced by 15-25% annually starting in FY22. This is not a reduction that can be achieved with small changes and local fundraisers. It is a reduction that calls for substantial change, innovation, and modernization.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters are invited to attend an online presentation on June 2, 2020 to review a collaborative watershed action plan. The plan encompasses 580 square miles, stretching from Peacham to Hartford, and includes 20 towns across 3 counties. It was developed in partnership with members of local communities, state scientists, watershed groups, regional planners, and agricultural partners. The public is also invited to provide comments on the plan.

The 2020 Basin 14 Tactical Basin Plan (TBP) includes the Stevens, Wells, Waits and Ompompanoosuc Rivers, Peacham bog, Lake Groton, Harveys Lake, and Lake Morey, home to the nation’s longest outdoor ice-skating track.

Vermont Business Magazine The Peck Company Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: PECK) , a leading commercial solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company based in South Burlington, has expanded its pipeline of solar project portfolios in Maine for up to 50 MWs capacity from a leading solar development company focused on community-scale, commercial & industrial-scale and small utility-scale solar PV systems.

Vermont Business Magazine Just in time for summer-like weather, Governor Scott announced today that restaurants may provide outdoor seating beginning Friday. Indoor seating will have to wait. The restrictions include spaced out tables, a limit of 10 to any group, disposable menus and you must call ahead for reservations to avoid people congregating to wait for a table.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today reported that the statewide number of COVID-19 cases held at 944 and the number of deaths remains at 54. There has been only one death from the novel coronavirus in Vermont since May 14. Although the data continues to show Vermont is doing well in its efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, health officials say we cannot let our guard down. As Vermont slowly reopens, physical distancing from others, wearing face coverings and handwashing continue to be essential. The governor said that by Friday there could be more information on the reopening of more institutions, which could include additional health-related businesses and perhaps even churches, with limitations.