Current News

Lori Fisher, Executive Director, Lake Champlain Committee In this issue of Enews we share some recent legislative initiatives (including a call to action on climate change for Vermont members), introduce you to Director of Science & Water Programs Lauren Sopher (read her Lake Look column about Lakeshore Grasslands below) and let you know of some funding that will assist our Trail and field projects. Please read on for those updates along with clean lake tips, nature notes and water news from near and far.

Vermont Business Magazine Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty has announced that it again retained the #1 Ranking for Luxury Property sales in Vermont. The company reported its results based on its ongoing success with residential sales priced over $1 million. According to Vermont multiple listing service data, Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty closed 38 transaction sides totaling $64 million in property value.

The statistics also show that the company held a very substantial lead over the #2 participant in this highly competitive market segment. With luxury sales performance exceeding that of its next closest competitor by over 33% in dollar volume, the company continues its leadership role in both listing and selling high value homes in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine VGS (Vermont Gas Systems) today filed an overall rate increase request of 2.9 percent beginning in November 2020. The proposal, which needs approval from the Public Utility Commission (PUC), would mean the average residential customer would pay just under $3 more per month. VGS' rates are approximately 6 percent lower than the New England average.

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation announced today that Bennington College Corporation will pay $15,750 for mismanaging hazardous waste on its Bennington campus in violation of Vermont’s Hazardous Waste Management Regulations. DEC inspected the Bennington College campus in May 2019 and observed violations of Vermont’s Hazardous Waste Management Regulations related to proper signage, storage and labeling of hazardous waste materials in different locations across campus.

Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims have shown a slow, steady decline since the beginning of the year, after the wild swings typical of the holidays. Initial claims for the week of February 8, 2020, were 475, which is typical for this time of year. Claims fell 6 from last week and were 25 fewer than they were at this time last year.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has announced new federal funding for research on the region’s forest ecosystem and economy. The Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC), first created by Leahy in the 1998 Farm Bill, received $2 million in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill for research on the Northern Forest and its 26 million acres of working landscape.

​Vermont Business Magazine Heritage Aviation, an employee-owned aviation services company, was recently awarded over $13,000 through the Vermont Training Program (VTP). The grant funding will be used to support Heritage Aviation’s professional development program, grow its maintenance department, and promote safety. Those that are enrolled in its maintenance apprenticeship program (MAP) will be given the opportunity to obtain an airframe and powerplant (A&P) certification. This will provide a new career path for these employees and allows them to “learn and earn” the certification instead of going back to school.

Vermont Business Magazine What do Vermonters think about the coming election? What are the key issues on their minds? For the third consecutive year, VPR and Vermont PBS are collaborating on three statewide public opinion surveys that will provide valuable insight into the minds of Vermonters in the 2020 presidential election year. The results of the first poll will be released on February 18, two weeks ahead of Town Meeting Day, Vermont’s presidential primary and Super Tuesday, when 14 states and approximately one-third of the country’s voters participate in presidential primaries.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor people who have returned from travel in China for symptoms of a novel coronavirus, now called COVID-19. The monitoring effort is for people who have returned from China in the past 14 days and who had no symptoms of respiratory illness when screened upon returning to the U.S.

Vermont Business Magazine On February 8, in the final hours of an awards ceremony recognizing the best journalism and publications in the region, the New England Newspaper and Press Association awarded Vermont Ski + Ride its highest honor, naming the magazine the winner of General Excellence in Specialty Publications.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) hosted a celebration of the Vermont Farm to School and Childcare Grant Program at the Vermont State House Wednesday, recognizing 7 Vermont school communities and 2 early childcare organizations with $110,000 in important grants to support their local food programming.