Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power and Alderman’s Chevrolet of Rutland are teaming up to provide General Motors employee discount pricing to GMP customers on the all-electric Chevy Bolt and electric-hybrid Chevy Volt – providing thousands of dollars in savings. “At GMP, we are committed to helping customers reduce carbon and save money, and this program hits both of those targets,” said Mary Powell, GMP’s president and CEO. “We’re excited to partner with Alderman’s to spread the word on the Bolt, a sleek, fun car to drive with a range of more than 200 miles on a charge, making it practical, clean and economical.”

Vermont Business Magazine Under normal weather conditions, New England is expected to have sufficient resources to meet peak consumer demand for electricity this summer, according to ISO New England Inc, the operator of the region’s bulk power system and wholesale electricity markets. Tight supply margins could develop if forecasted peak system conditions associated with extreme hot and humid weather occur. If this happens, ISO New England will take steps to manage New England’s electricity supply and demand and maintain power system reliability.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Electric Department, joined by Mayor Miro Weinberger and in partnership with Local Motion and four Burlington bike shops – Old Spokes Home, North Star Sports, Outdoor Gear Exchange, and Skirack – today launched a new electric bike (E-bike) rebate program for the Burlington community that provides Burlington Electric customers $200 off the purchase of an E-bike or a conversion kit, which can be installed on many conventional bicycles. The program, believed to be only the second utility E-bike rebate program in the nation, encourages Burlington Electric customers to seek alternative transportation to displace fossil fuel burning automobile trips when commuting to work, visiting friends and neighbors, and running errands.

Vermont Business Magazine On May 1, 2018, the Vermont Public Utility Commission issued its required update of the state’s net-metering program. The rapid growth of the program and inclusion of large solar projects has put upward pressure on rates for all electric customers. For this reason, the PUC has lowered the incentives one-cent for the typical residential net metering customer and another cent for larger-sized installations. The reductions will take place over two years. For most customers, these reductions will be partially offset by a simultaneous increase in the statewide blended residential electric rate (resulting in a net reduction of one-half cent for all residential systems next year 18.9 cents to 18.4 cents and 1.5 cents for the bigger systems 16.9 cents to 15.4 cents).

Vermont Business Magazine On May 1, H624, an act relating to the protection of personal voter information in the statewide voter checklist, was passed by the Legislature. H624, sponsored by Rep Dylan Giambatista of Essex Junction, creates additional protections for Vermont voter’s private data contained in the statewide voter checklist. Secretary of State Jim Condos has issued the following statement, praising passage of the bill.

Vermont Business Magazine The Addison County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC) Board of Directors has announced a $1,000 contribution to help in the establishment of The Makery, and challenges others in the community to contribute to this innovative Addison County Maker Space. Maker Spaces encourage local innovation as well as collaboration and can also be a conduit for entrepreneurship. The vision of The Makery is “a place where people imagine, experiment, network, collaborate, and create for personal & professional growth”. The mission of The Makery is “to engage the greater community in pursuits related to occupations, hobbies, or crafts that grow the technical and creative economy of Vermont”. ACEDC is a founding partner in this effort to establish The Makery, to be located at the Hannaford Career Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Dave Donahue, Chairman of the board of the Addison County Chamber of Commerce, shared the following announcement, “it is my great pleasure to share with you the appointment of Robert B Carter, to serve as president of the Addison County Chamber of Commerce.” Carter is a 1978 graduate of the University of Vermont with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry and 1983 graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a Master's in Pastoral Studies.

Vermont Business Magazine The Lake Champlain Sea Grant program has a new designation – and a bigger budget for its work. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Sea Grant College Program have granted the program Institute status. With the new designation comes a 150 percent increase in its base budget – from $400,000 to $1 million annually – in federal support for research, outreach and education to improve the environment and economy in the Lake Champlain Basin.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board voted on the Fish & Wildlife Department’s 2018 antlerless deer hunting proposal on April 25. Public hearings will be held May 8 in Rutland and May 10 in South Burlington to recap the results of the 2017 deer seasons and review the antlerless proposal.

The department’s annual recommendation is based on population estimates, biological data, winter severity data, and deer sighting rates reported by hunters, as well as input from game wardens, foresters and the public.

Vermont Business Magazine The Upper Valley Trails Alliance, a regional trails organization serving the Upper Valley Community of VT and NH, received two distinguished awards in April. The Upper Valley Trails Alliance was awarded the Presidents' Community Partner Award. This award, granted through Campus Compact for New Hampshire, recognizes a community organization that has enhanced the quality of life in the community in a meaningful and measurable way, while also engaging in sustained and reciprocal partnerships with Dartmouth. UVTA was recognized for the organizations work with Social Impact Practicum classes and in the countless other ways that UVTA demonstrates equal dedication to mission as to the co-creation of learning opportunities for students across campus.

by Timothy McQuiston and John Boutin Vermont Business Magazine In honor of Small Business Week, the Vermont SBA office featured three of its superhero entrepreneurs. For one you'd need to fly to maybe Boston to replicate what they do here; another makes miracles out of molten rock; and a third bends steel, literally. Representative Peter Welch and Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan joined members of the Small Business Administration visiting these entrepreneurs Monday.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program, a program of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, awarded a total of $403,405 to 13 Vermont farms through its most recent round of Water Quality and Dairy Improvement Grants. Eight farms in Addison, Franklin, Lamoille, Orleans, and Rutland counties were awarded $236,575 in Water Quality Grants. These grants leveraged $2.3 million in additional funding for capital improvement projects to reduce runoff and improve manure management and soil health. The Viability Program grants are matched by the farmers’ funds, bank loans, and grant funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets.

Meeting Place Pastures, Cornwall