Current News

Northeastern Vermont Development Association Time is running out for Vermonters to get federal tax credits (up to $7,500) when leasing or buying a new or used EV. Drive Electric Vermont put together a simple guide to help navigate the process before the end of September. Getting an EV Charger in Vermont? Looking to add a charger for employees or residential tenants? Charge Vermont can help cover the costs. Funding is still available to workplaces and multi-unit residences in all three NEK Counties (Essex, Orleans, and Caledonia). 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s black bear population is estimated at 6,800 to 8,000 bears based on 2024 data, the most recent available, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. 2024 is the fourth consecutive year that the bear population estimate is above the state’s objective of 3,500 to 5,500 bears, according to the department’s population model. To understand what is driving this apparent growth, the department launched a new research study this past summer. The research will ground-truth model results by gauging how successful Vermont’s bears are at raising their young safely to independence.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.16/g, up 6 cents per gallon from last week, up 5 cents/g from last month and down 19 cents/g from a year ago. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.85/g while the highest was $3.28/g, a difference of 43.0 cents per gallon. Prices were lowest in Bennington ($3.06/g) and Rutland ($3.08/g) counties and highest in Lamoille ($3.25/g), Franklin ($3.26/g) and Grand Isle ($3.23/g), according to AAA. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1 cent per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.20/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced that $15.8 million has been released by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for projects funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure along key interstate and state highway corridors. Along with the already-installed Bradford station, the planned, fast-charging locations include: Randolph (I-89), Wilmington (VT-9), Rutland (US-7), St. Albans (I-89), Bennington (US-7/VT-9), Middlebury (US-7), White River Junction (I-89/I-91), Brattleboro (I-91/VT-9), Berlin (I-89), Manchester (US-7), and South Burlington (I-89). 

Vermont Business Magazine The ACLU of Vermont is calling on the state to build on its landmark Fair and Impartial Policing Policy (FIPP) to limit local entanglement in federal deportation efforts. In public comments submitted to the Criminal Justice Council last week, the ACLU called for fidelity to the existing FIPP and for the addition of new data collection requirements to better ensure state agencies are complying with the policy. The FIPP limits local police involvement in immigration enforcement and offers a model policy for local communities to adopt. Though resisted by at least some law enforcement agencies, this legislation established a clear mandate for local police: if an undocumented immigrant poses no threat to an officer or the public, officers should not share their personal information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol (ICE and CBP). 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) is inviting public feedback on proposed updates to the Minimum Acceptable Management and Plan Standards for Forest Management. These standards are established by the Commissioner of FPR and apply to land enrolled in the Use Value Appraisal (UVA) program, also known as Current Use, Managed Forestland category. With more than 2 million acres of forestland enrolled, UVA is one of Vermont’s most successful conservation efforts. The program protects water quality, supports forest health and biodiversity, and supports working forests by prioritizing its working land value rather than its development potential. 

Vermont Business Magazine Encore Renewable Energy has energized South Street Storage, a 2MW, 8MWh utility-scale battery energy storage system, located next to the South Street Solar project in Middlebury. South Street Storage is Encore’s first energy storage project and will provide vital demand mitigation services and cost savings to Green Mountain Power (GMP) and its customers. The lithium-ion battery systems for this project were provided by KORE Power. KORE, a leading domestic manufacturer of battery energy storage systems, built the units installed by Encore at its Waterbury, VT facility. KORE’s operation’s team will also be coordinating with Encore to monitor the system’s performance.

Vermont Business Magazine With Vermont students back in the classroom, the American Red Cross in Vermont offers this checklist to help ensure children stay safe as they travel to and from school this year. It’s a community effort. 

Vermont Business Magazine AARP Vermont invites eligible organizations and communities across the state to apply for the 2025 AARP Vermont Winter Placemaking Grant Program, now through October 3 at 5:00 p.m. The grants will support quick-action projects that launch winter placemaking demonstrations aimed at creating or reinventing public spaces to enhance safety, accessibility, and overall attractiveness. AARP will award up to six communities or organizations funding of up to $4,000 each. Now in its sixth year, the program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which promotes efforts by cities, towns, neighborhoods, and rural areas to become excellent places to live for all residents, especially those aged 50 and older.

Vermont State Police On April 15, 2025, Detectives with the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations, assigned to the New Haven Barracks, began an investigation into an incident that occurred on January 14, 2025. After a lengthy investigation, it was determined that Carson P. Bertrand, 21, of Whiting, VT, and Brandon R. Yandow, 28, of Castleton, VT committed the offense of Aggravated Sexual Assault by having nonconsensual sexual contact with an adult victim. Investigation also revealed Bertrand had nonconsensual sexual contact with a second victim on the same date. 

Vermont Business Magazine Funding is now available through the Laurance & Mary Rockefeller Fund for organizations and projects that preserve and enhance the physical, cultural, spiritual, and wellness environment of the people in the town of Woodstock and surrounding communities. The fund awards grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Applications will be accepted from organizations and projects serving the towns of Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartland, Killington, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, and/or Woodstock. Applicants must be serving one or more of these communities to be eligible to apply. The fund will consider requests for general operating or project/program support.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Medical Society (VMS) and its partners, a group of nine medical organizations and public health nonprofits, announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has agreed to restore vital public health and science data that was removed from federal webpages earlier this year. This major legal victory stops a practice that began last January in which the federal executive branch deleted numerous webpages that medical providers, scientists and public health professionals rely upon, on issues covering LGBTQ health, gender and reproductive health, clinical trials, vaccine guidance, HIV/AIDS research, and other essential topics.