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by Philip Smith For mid-market companies in Vermont, business success and responsible growth aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, prioritizing responsible growth is becoming increasingly important and successful companies are making sustainability central to their growth strategies. Beyond good corporate citizenship, they are recognizing the intrinsic link between the strength of their business and that of the communities and economies in which they operate. Leading your growth with those goals in mind builds resilience and better solutions for the future. Consider the following:

• Responsible growth companies perform better. Companies that consider the impact of risks and opportunities on the environment, local communities and society may produce better financial results than those that don’t. Additionally, 90 percent of companies believe a sustainability plan is important for remaining competitive.

Vermont Business Magazine The Office of the Vice President for Research has announced the 2018/19 winners of the REACH Grant Program. REACH grants of up to $30,0000 are designed to promote innovative research, scholarship and creative projects that enhance UVM's reputation as an incubator for cutting-edge ideas; encourage faculty members to reach the next level of achievement in their research trajectory; and leverage institutional investment by providing the building blocks to support a larger application for competitive outside funding.

This year’s award winners and the research project for which they received grant funding are:

Vermont Business Magazine This afternoon, at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vermont) sharply questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt on his misuse of taxpayer funds. Welch has co-sponsored a House ‘no confidence’ resolution (H.Res. 834) in response to Pruitt’s reported ethics violations, misuse of taxpayer funds, and policy actions that have undermined the agency’s core mission at the expense of the environment, public health and science.

Vermont Business Magazine Rutland’s Innovation Home, a super-efficient home to be given away in a contest designed to raise awareness about available jobs, energy innovation and the community, is weeks ahead of schedule – and organizers are extending the deadline to apply to win it. Green Mountain Power, Naylor & Breen Builders, the United Way of Rutland County, NBF Architects and dozens of partners started the project Feb. 26, and after just eight weeks are within a month of completion. Siding is going up, the interior got its first coat of paint on Monday, and lights, flooring and appliances will soon be installed.

Vermont Business Magazine Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have risen 9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.80/gallon Thursday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of gas outlets in the state. Burlington-area prices have risen to an average of $2.88. The southern counties of the state having the lowest, with the cheapest prices in Windham County, with an average price per gallon of $2.70. This compares with the national average that has increased 3.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.79/gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

In Vermont, prices are 36.4 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 17.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 17.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 38.8 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

by Lindsay Kurrle As the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and the former owner of a small gas station and convenience store, the conversations on minimum wage are something I’ve followed and evaluated closely for years, understanding both the impact on hard-working Vermonters and small businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine SCORE Vermont is growing and seeking volunteers with business experience to become mentors to small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs. SCORE offers no cost, confidential business mentoring, free business tools, and workshops to help businesses thrive and reach their goals. SCORE mentoring services are offered via one-on-one meetings, or through emails and video. Business mentors generally have professional business experience in marketing, accounting, technology, law, banking, operations and managing small businesses. If you are seeking a high quality volunteer experience with a national organization we hope you will contact SCORE Vermont and learn more.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power was named one of a select group for connecting the most solar storage to the grid. The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) just ranked GMP eighth nationwide for megawatts of energy storage added in 2017, and the company earned ninth for watts-per-customer storage. GMP moved up two spots on the list for total storage compared to last year, showing a continued commitment to partner with customers to increase reliability and drive down costs. Battery storage has many benefits as it can be used during outages to keep the lights on and it also helps avoid having to buy expensive extra power during peak times for energy use.

by Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund This spring, when the Black-throated Blue Warblers, Wood Thrush, and Scarlet Tanagers make their annual return to Vermont from Central and South America, they will find new habitats for nesting and breeding in Vermont thanks to the Woods, Wildlife and Warblers program – a partnership between wildlife biologists, foresters and private landowners in Vermont.

by Bruce Edwards Vermont Business Magazine At the center of the Vermont Yankee story is Vernon, a town of 2,200 at the very southeastern part of the state. The nuclear power plant buoyed the local economy and the town’s tax base for decades until the plant ceased operation in December 2014. When it was operating Vermont Yankee at its peak had more than 600 employees who earned an annual wage of $105,000, according to a 2014 study by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute.

The state Public Utilities Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are now reviewing the proposed sale of the plant from Entergy to NorthStar Group Services.

NorthStar in turn would demolish the plant, dispose of the nuclear contaminated debris and low-level waste, and make the site ready for redevelopment between 2026 and 2030, far earlier than Entergy’s date of 2075.

Vermont Business Magazine Four Vermont organizations will share a total of $1.35 million in Brownfields Program assessment and cleanup grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Brownfields grants allow communities to clean up contaminated properties, facilitating their redevelopment and reuse and improving local economies. The Vermont organizations include the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, Northeastern VT Development Association, Town of Springfield and Vermont River Conservancy.

Vermont Business Magazine Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) today reported first quarter 2018 earnings per share of 73 cents on an as-reported basis and $1.16 on an operational basis. These results reflect the lower federal income tax rate, favorable weather of 9 cents and a loss of (4) cents from the implementation of ASU No. 2016-01, which now requires the mark-to-market of equity investments in the nuclear decommissioning trust funds at EWC. Entergy is waiting on regulators to approve its intended sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon.