Current News

Vermont Business Magazine In recent years, New England’s electric grid has seen the highest energy demand in the summer, driven by air conditioning. But that pattern is starting to change. Over the next decade, winter electricity demand is expected to grow, and by 2035, it could match summer peaks as home heating systems and vehicles switch to electric power. That shift is one key finding from ISO New England’s newly released 2026-2035 CELT Report, which projects regional electricity consumption will increase roughly 9% over the next decade. The growth is driven largely by the electrification of heating systems and transportation.

by Kate Kampner, Community News Service A pellet a day keeps the rodents away, but also owls, hawks, coyotes and other wild animals. A rodent that ingests rodenticide becomes a toxic trap for the birds and mammals that prey on them, leading to thousands of wild animals being poisoned, sometimes lethally, every year. H.326 and H.758 were two bills in the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry that pushed to ban or regulate the use of rodenticides. The bills address anticoagulant rodenticides, which target a rodent’s vitamin K and cause internal hemorrhaging. Carnivores that hunt rodents become victims of secondary poisoning, also known as “relay toxicosis.” If the prey they’ve eaten has consumed a rodenticide, they too are affected by the pellet.

Vermont Business Magazine With spring cleaning underway in some parts of the state, the Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) want to remind Vermonters to follow a few guidelines for backyard open burning to protect not only environmental and public health but also public safety. “Open burning releases air toxics and particulate matter that can harm our health, air quality, and environment,” said DEC Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “By following a few simple guidelines, Vermonters can help reduce these health and environmental impacts.” “Burning debris is the leading cause of wildland fires in Vermont, underscoring the critical importance of proactive measures."

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly. "I agree with the bill’s intent and while we’ve made progress over the years, I believe we should continue to limit the amount of salt that eventually ends up in our waterways. However, I’m concerned about the liability and unintended consequences this bill creates. By requiring Vermont’s municipalities and commercial businesses to reduce the amount of salt and salt alternatives used to make roadways, parking lots, stairs and sidewalks safer during the winter months, it could result in more injuries and vehicle accidents leading to increased liability, risk of litigation, and expense."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Department of Labor reported that the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for March was 2.6 percent. This reflects no change from the prior month’s revised estimate. The comparable United States rate in March was 4.3 percent, a decrease of one-tenth of one percentage point from the revised February estimate. The Vermont civilian labor force decreased by 1,523 from the prior month’s revised estimate. The number of employed persons decreased by 1,360 and the number of unemployed persons decreased by 163. The civilian labor force participation rate was 62.9 percent in March, a decrease of three-tenths of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate. Vermont has the fourth lowest jobless rate in the nation, with South Dakota lowest (2.3%) and Delaware highest (5.4%).

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont Senate gave its initial approval to H.739, landmark legislation to ban the toxic pesticide paraquat, which is linked to Parkinson’s disease. The bill must still be reconciled with a House-passed version of the legislation before it can go to Governor Phil Scott for his consideration. Health and environmental advocates celebrated the vote and now urge its enactment to protect farmworkers, rural communities, and Vermont families.

The Vermont State Police has received confirmation that human remains found in 2006 in Connecticut are those of a man who went missing while fishing in Vermont five years earlier. Vermont residents Brian Cranfield, 37, of Weathersfield and Terry Brinegar, 44, of Mount Holly were fishing together April 9, 2001, on a boat at Sumner Falls in Hartland when the vessel overturned. Both men were presumed drowned. Brinegar’s body was found April 24, 2001, at the Bellows Falls Dam, but Cranfield’s remains could not be located.

Vermont Business Magazine As the Vermont House Commerce and Economic Development Committee prepares to vote on S.71, the Vermont Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act, a coalition of more than 1,400 Vermonters from every county and more than 150 towns across the state, including more than 100 Vermont businesses, has delivered an open letter today demanding the Committee pass Draft 2.3 without weakening amendments. The letter, organized through the People vs Big Tech town hall series, represents one of the largest grassroots mobilizations around data privacy in Vermont history. Signatories span every county in the state and include farmers, small business owners, health care workers, educators, veterans, parents, and neighbors united by a single message: our data is not for sale.

Vermont Business Magazine The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is pleased to announce the next sessions of its Funding Fundamentals program, a series of educational offerings designed to help small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs better understand and access capital. The series begins with an in-person workshop, Funding Fundamentals: Lenders and Finance 101, on Wednesday, June 3 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 76 Cotton Mill Hill Brattleboro, VT 05301. This session will provide participants with a foundational introduction to business finance, including common lending terminology, an overview of financing options, and guidance on how to prepare for meeting with lenders.

Vermont Business Magazine Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Vermont Mutual Charitable Giving Fund. The funds will support CVHHH’s Adult Home Health Care program, which provides intermittent, short-term medical care, education, and support to Central Vermonters recovering from a hospital stay, injury, or surgery, and those who need assistance managing their chronic disease. Due to ongoing cuts to home health services, the annual value of the care provided by CVHHH clinicians exceeds what the organization receives in reimbursements from CVHHH’s primary payor, Medicare. CVHHH will use the grant funding to help cover this gap in funding.

Vermont Business Magazine Omni Measurement Systems, Inc, d.b.a. Omni Defense Tech in Colchester, has developed and supplied specially designed life preserver units for Artemis II astronauts. Based on Omni’s proven OTFD flotation device technology, the custom devices were prepared to support astronaut safety during post-splashdown operations as crews transitioned from the Orion spacecraft to recovery vessels. Artemis II, the first crewed lunar flyby mission in more than 50 years, launched April 1, 2026. The 9-day mission sent four astronauts on a free-return trajectory around the Moon before returning to Earth, validating spacecraft systems, crew operations, and procedures required for future deep-space missions.

Vermont Business Magazine Blue Cross VT is again hosting its annual Mountain Days event this Saturday, May 9 from 10am-2pm at Mt. Wantastiquet. All Vermonters are invited to hike and connect with neighbors and friends. The event promotes physical activity and social connection and is part of Blue Cross VT’s ongoing commitment to create a healthier Vermont.