Current News

The Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) held their 2025 Annual Meeting on June 25, 2025, outside of our offices in Woodstock, Vermont. The Board, comprised of representatives from our 30 member towns, was joined by TRORC staff and community members for the election of officers, announcement of scholarship awards, and recognition of our Volunteer of the Year. Our dedicated Executive Committee officers will continue their excellent service. The officers include Bill Emmons, Chair (Pomfret); John Echeverria, Vice Chair (Strafford); Peter Berger, Treasurer (Fairlee); and Nancy Jones, Secretary (Bradford). Brian Loeb (Norwich), Nancy Malmquist (West Fairlee), and Ken Alton (Business) will continue to serve as Executive Committee Members-At-Large. We are grateful for their strategic insight and community involvement.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), on Thursday introduced the Pensions for All Act, sweeping legislation that would provide comprehensive retirement coverage to the more than 56 million working-class Americans who currently have no retirement plan through their employer. In our country today, nearly half of older workers between the ages of 55 and 64 have no retirement savings at all and no idea how they will be able to retire with any shred of dignity or respect.

Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing has been working with the Coraggio Group for the last 7 months to develop a Destination Management Strategic Plan for the state of Vermont. Receiving feedback from residents, industry partners, and community leaders has been crucial to every step of this process. For the next step, we are asking once again for your feedback to ensure the final plan is comprehensive, inclusive, and reflective of our community's needs and aspirations.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a lawsuit challenging an unlawful final rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would create significant barriers to obtaining healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Trump Administration’s final rule would make amendments to rules governing federal and state health insurance marketplaces which the administration estimates will cause up to 1.8 million people to lose their health insurance, while causing millions more to pay increased insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles. The final rule also excludes coverage of gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit (EHB) under the ACA.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced that Southern State Correctional Facility (SSCF) Superintendent Michaela Merrill was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into an allegation of misconduct. Per State policy, the Department of Human Resources (DHR) will conduct an independent investigation into the allegation. Per Department protocol and Vermont statute, DOC’s Corrections Investigative Unit (CIU) will review the Springfield facility’s compliance with Department policy and procedures.  

Vermont Business Magazine Early this morning, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) voted against President Trump’s rescissions bill, which claws back more than $9 billion in congressionally appropriated funding for global health, foreign aid, and public media. The rescissions package, requested by President Trump and supported by Senate Republicans, would claw back millions of dollars in humanitarian assistance, foreign aid, and global health initiatives. This bill cuts funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); the World Health Organization (WHO); United Nations peacekeeping missions; migration and refugee assistance programs; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; international food aid missions; the United States Institute of Peace (USIP); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); and more.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) today announced a $22.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help replace the Winooski River Bridge in Chittenden County. The federal funding, provided through DOT’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program and made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will replace and upgrade travel lanes and incorporate shared-use paths to improve safety on the bridge for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. 

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak today announced her participation in the ninth class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, joining 47 mayors total from 17 countries to participate in the professional management training program. Established by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Business School as a first-of-its-kind program to help close the gap in executive development for the public sector, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative equips mayors and senior municipal officials with the tools and expertise to solve pressing local challenges, strengthen their city halls, and improve outcomes for residents. Since its launch in 2017, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative has provided training to 359 mayors and over 635 senior municipal officials across 41 countries.   

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Pieciak’s Task Force on the Federal Transition released a final report with recommended actions to strengthen Vermont’s economy and the state’s fiscal stability in response to federal policy changes and reduced federal funding. The report recommends a mix of government and non-government actions that include creating a State Disaster Recovery Reserve, establishing a public-private Economic Early Warning Task Force, and convening nonprofit leaders to coordinate resources and strengthen services. The unifying theme across all recommendations is a need for preparation across State government, including proactive organizing with community, business, and nonprofit leaders, to mitigate the long-term impact of any changes coming out of Washington affecting Vermont’s economy and the cost of living. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and the Bart Adaptive Sports Center announced today their intent to join forces through a planned merger. The proposed combination reflects a shared commitment to empowering independence for individuals with disabilities through year-round access to sports and outdoor recreation. Bart Adaptive currently offers programs at Bromley Mountain, Stratton Mountain Resort, and in the Manchester region. Vermont Adaptive provides winter programs at Pico Mountain/Killington Resort, Sugarbush Resort, Bolton Valley Resort, Saskadena Six Ski Area, and multiple locations throughout the state in the summer and fall.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.10 per gallon, unchanged from last week, up 2 cents/g from last month and down 37 cents/g from last year, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $2.47/g while the highest was $3.37/g, a difference of 90.0 cents per gallon. Bennington ($2.97/g) and Addison ($3.05/g) counties had the lowest average prices, while Lamoille ($3.19/g), Franklin ($3.19/g) and Grand Isle ($3.20/g) had the highest. The southern counties for many months have had the lowest prices. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1 cent per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.16/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, members of the administration, legislators, community partners, and others celebrated the passage of S.127, An act relating to housing and housing development (Act 69), in Fair Haven on Wednesday. The bill was signed into law on June 12, 2025. It includes the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program. CHIP will launch in 2026 with the potential for over $2 billion in housing infrastructure investment by 2035.