Current News

Vermont Business MagazineAttorney General Thomas JDonovan, Jr, announced today that Vermont has joined 12 attorneys general in sending a letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing the Agency’s position on vehicle emission standards. In the letter, the attorneys general object to the EPA’s position on the midterm evaluation of federal standards for greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light-duty trucks. The letter promises that the States will take necessary action if the EPA attempts to roll back these important standards.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, the US House of Representatives unanimously approved bipartisan legislation introduced by Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) to improve energy efficiency in schools in Vermont and across the country. The Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act (H.R. 627) establishes a coordinating structure to help schools better navigate federal energy efficiency programs and financing options. It designates the Department of Energy as the lead agency in coordinating a cross-departmental efforts to initiate, develop, and finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and retrofitting projects for schools.

“Investments in energy efficiency save money, create jobs, improve the environment,” said Welch. “By streamlining federal programs and cutting red tape, our bipartisan bill will result in lower energy use and lower energy bills for taxpayer funded school systems in Vermont and around the country.”

Vermont Business MagazineThe Annie ECasey Foundation urged state and federal policymakers not to back away from targeted investments that are proving to help USchildren become healthier, more likely to complete high school and better positioned to contribute to the nation's economy as adults. The Foundation called on leaders to continue investing in families as Casey released the2017KIDS COUNT Data Book,which shows steady improvements in several areas of child well-being. Vermont, New England and the Northern tier states did best in nearly all measures. Vermont was third in overall well being, with New Hampshire first and Massachusetts second. Vermont was fourth in the health category and ninth in economic well being.

Vermont Business MagazineAlmost three years to the day after announcing plans to build a new Surgical Center, Copley Hospital in Morrisville will celebrate the opening of the James and Mary Louise Carpenter Surgical Center. The public is invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and tour the new facility at5 pmWednesday, June 21, 2017. Governor Phil Scott will speak at the ceremony.

Vermont Business Magazine Physician's Computer Company of Winooski today announced that is has collaborated with First Databank (FDB), a leading provider of drug and medical device knowledge, to embedFDB MedsTrackereRx, an electronic prescribing solution, directly into PCC's electronic health record designed specifically for pediatrics. Originally designed for inpatient use, FDB customized FDB MedsTrackereRx specifically for the needs of pediatric practices.PCCisan independent software solutions firm exclusively working to meet the needs of independent pediatricians nationwide.

Vermont Business MagazineGovernor Phil Scott on Monday signed S34,an act relating to rural economic development,and H495,an act relating to miscellaneous agriculture and subjects,at Goodridge Lumber in Albany. He said the bills highlight the state’s commitment to our agriculture sector and spurring economic growth for rural communities. These bills create a new exemption from the Vermont sales and use tax for specific types of machinery and equipment used in timber cutting, timber removal, and the processing of timber or other solid wood forest products intended to be sold at retail.

Vermont Business MagazineThe Vermont Cheesemakers Festival will mark its ninth annual appearance on the shores of Lake Champlain at the historic Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms onJuly 16,2017, from 10 AM to 4 PMto celebrate the art of cheesemaking in Vermont. Attendees can meet cheesemakers and taste the cheeses of Vermont, enjoy the creations of artisan food producers, savor the fruits of wine, mead and cider production, and experience the skills of craft brewers and master distillers.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Community Loan Fund has loaned in excess of $1 million to Vermont’s small businesses, child care programs, and affordable housing programs during the 1st quarter of 2017. Financing has helped Barton Maple Company, Awakening Sanctuary/Ethan Allen Residence, Butterfly Bakery of Vermont, Green Wolf Logging & Sugaring, Grow Compost of Vermont, Housing Trust of Rutland County/Tuckerville Mobile Home Park, Otter Creek Child Center, Pulmac Systems International, and Vermont Wood Pellet Company.

Synergy has characterized Art LaPlante and Mark Royer’s working partnership for decades. The two have now founded Barton Maple Company.

The two first met years ago when Art was managing a building materials store in Barton. Mark, a customer, was in timberwork, specializing in specialty lumber. “So Mark started buying logs from land owners for me,” Art recalls.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Electric Department today announced that it has added plug-in hybrids to its electric vehicle (EV) rebate incentive program, first announced two weeks ago (original launch press release here and below). Through this new program component, members of the Burlington community will be eligible for a $600 rebate on the purchase or lease of a new plug-in hybrid EV with an electric range of 20 or more miles and an MSRP of less than $50,000. The program will add to Burlington Electric’s efforts to meet Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES).

by Mike SmithThe state’s largest health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, is asking for an average premium hike of 12.7 percent for qualified plans established by the Affordable Care Act. This increase would affect about 70,000 Vermonters. The wages of Vermonters are growing only at a fraction of the requested premium increase. Don George, the president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, acknowledges that these premium increases — the largest in recent years — are unsustainable and place a heavy burden on working families and small businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H) will offer a special program Tuesday, June 13, 2017, to present and discuss a broad set of patient care and research initiatives in which the health system is involved, all geared to addressing the needs and challenges of delivering care for mental health and substance use disorders in New Hampshire and in the region.

Vermont Business Magazine SI-BONE, Inc, an innovative medical device company that pioneered the use of the iFuse Implant System, a triangular shaped minimally invasive surgical (MIS) device indicated for fusion for certain disorders of the sacroiliac (SI) joint, announced that Blue Cross and Blue Shield ofVermont(BCBSVT), an independent, local, not-for-profitVermontcompany, has established a written positive coverage policy for minimally invasive surgical (MIS) SI joint fusion.