Current News

Vermont Business MagazineVermont Attorney General TJDonovan and four Vermont state agencies led a coalition of four northeastern states in filingCommentson the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) proposed decommissioning rulemaking. The States contend that the proposed rules fail to take into account the interests of states, like Vermont, which are home to nuclear power plants. The States suggest specific changes that would ensure rules to protect the health, safety, environmental, and economic interests of host communities during the decommissioning process.

Vermont Business Magazine BioTek Instruments, based in Winooski, continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability by joining the over 1,200 governors, mayors, businesses, investors, and colleges and universities from across the US who have voiced their intent to continue to ensure the US remains a global leader in reducing carbon emissions. By declaring that ‘we are still in,’ BioTek and the other signatories are putting the best interests of their constituents, customers, students and communities first while assuring the rest of the world that American leadership on climate change extends well beyond the current federal government.

The science is clear. The planet’s environment is changing, and this is largely due to human activity. It is also clear that the impact on earth’s inhabitants, including people, will be negative. The only question is the magnitude of the impact, and exact timing.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Medical Center has removed traditional “visiting hours” limitations in favor of giving patients control over who comes to see them, and the timing of those visits. Research indicates patient outcomes improve when they are allowed to choose how and when their loved ones can be present and involved in their care. Former patients played a key role in developing the new Welcoming Policy as members of the Patient- and Family-Centered Care Steering Committee. More than 100 community members serve as patient and family advisors at the UVM Medical Center, helping to develop improvements in care that are grounded in understanding the patients’ point of view.

Senator Patrick Leahy The budget submission from the Department of Health and Human Services would reduce discretionary spending by nearly $8 billion – that is a 12 percent cut. This includes cuts to virtually every agency under HHS, including a 17 percent cut to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 21 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health, and a 23 percent cut to mental health programs in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This budget also targets women’s health by discriminating against providers that serve low-income women, and by eliminating funding for teen pregnancy prevention. And it would leave people in the cold, by eliminating the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) — a program thousands of Vermont families depend upon year after year.

Vermont Business Magazine Be alert. Be patient. Be kind. That’s the message state officials are sending to Vermont drivers this season, as farmers return to the roads with tractors and heavy equipment. The Agencies of Agriculture, Transportation, and Department of Public Safety have teamed up to create a new public safety message that reminds Vermonters to take extra care on the roads. They are sharing the PSA with Vermonters on social media, in an effort to build awareness for rural road safety.

“Farmers are working hard to grow our economy, and keep Vermont beautiful,” according to Anson Tebbetts, Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture. “Sometimes they need a little extra patience and care from fellow drivers – let’s give it to them.”

Vermont Business MagazineThe Energy Co-op of Vermont, a fuel oil and home efficiency services cooperative with headquarters in Colchester, Vermont, announced today that John Quinney will retire as General Manager at the end of 2017 following the selection of a new General Manager."Since I started with the Energy Co-op in 2001, our mission has been to help Vermonters make their homes more comfortable, healthy and energy-efficient," says Quinney. "I'm proud of our unique position as a full-service fuel oil dealer that uses our cooperative business model to help our members make their homes more energy efficient and cut their fossil fuel use."

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Breakfast on the Farm comes to Fairmont Farm this Saturday in East Montpelier.This free, public event includes a Vermont-style pancake breakfast featuring local products, self-guided tours of the farm including 15 educational stations, and a peek into the life and business of dairy farming in Vermont. Media are invited to see first-hand how the farm cares for their cows, their community, employees and the environment. And, even see a calf being born! A second 2017 Breakfast on the Farm event will be held on July 22 at Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport.

WHO:

1,000 visitors expected, agricultural leaders, educators and industry representatives including:

Vermont Business MagazineA dozen states, including Vermont, Puerto Rico, at least 80 mayors and more than 100 businesses will submit a plan to the United Nations showing how they will collectively reduce their global warming pollution in reaction to President Trump's decision to withdraw from theParisclimate agreement, the 2015 landmark international accord aimed at combating global warming.

The USClimate Alliance, which will keep its membership rolls open, also serves as a network for members to share best practices for addressing climate change.

by Chris McKayI'm proud to say that I work at Northern Power Systems where we design and build wind turbines right here in Barre, Vermont.There are dozens of people down in the factory floor building wind turbines and getting them ready to ship around the US and the world.We work to make a living and make a difference.

Vermont Business MagazineKeurig Green Mountain, Inc, a leader in specialty coffee and innovative single serve brewing systems, has launched its twelfth annual Sustainability Report. The report’s theme of “Brewing Transformation™” showcases Keurig’s efforts in local communities and across the globe in three main focus areas: environmental responsibility, strong supply chains, and thriving people and communities.

Vermont Business Magazine Today S8, the ethics bill establishing an ethics commission and implementing some important ethical reforms was signed into law by Governor Phil ScottVermont Secretary of State Jim Condos has called the new ethics law a good start, saying “before this law was enacted, Vermont was one of the last states without any ethics laws and an ethics commission. Restoring the public’s trust in government is critical, and this is the first step in a comprehensive ethics reform process I’ve been advocating for since 2011.”

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement after receiving reports on thealleged shooter at a congressional baseball practice Wednesday morning. According to national reports, a man with a rifle opened fire on members of the Republican congressional baseball team as it practiced early Wednesday morning. Five were wounded, including Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, none fatally. The shooter, identified as James Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, IL, was reportedly killed by police.