Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin provided an update today on perfluorocarbon testing results from water samples collected at three locations: Harbour Industries in Shelburne,the Vermont Air National Guard base in South Burlington, and the Pittsford Fire Academy. The three locations are part of a Statewide sampling plan to investigate sites where perflurocarbons, like PFOA and PFOS, may have been used. Private wells sampled near Harbour Industries in Shelburne tested clean for both chemicals. Results showed PFOA and PFOS to be present at the Vermont Air National Guard site, and in an underground storage tank at the Pittsford Fire Academy. Both sites have historically used firefighting foam in routine training exercises. No drinking water supplies have been impacted by PFOA or PFOS contamination at any of the three sites. The limited wells located near these sites are either inactive or have been tested previously and were not found to contain perfluorocarbons.

by Mike Faher/The Commons There has been much debate about how Vermont Yankee administrators are using the plant’s decommissioning trust fund. As it turns out, the federal government has been taking its share of that same pot of money. In response to an information request from the Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VNDCAP), Entergy administrators have disclosed that they paid $34 million in federal trust fund taxes over a 10-year period. Those tax payments — the result of a 20 percent federal levy on trust-fund investment earnings — will continue throughout the decades-long process of decommissioning Vermont Yankee. And that has some wondering whether some sort of tax relief could help speed cleanup work at the Vernon plant.

by Representative Don Turner R-Milton When the House unanimously voted to pass Bill S230, it was a proud moment of bipartisan consensus. We worked tirelessly to find a fair balance between renewable energy development and the concerns of local communities, regarding the health and financial implications of siting these projects in their neighborhoods. Subsequent changes to the bill, including those suggested by Governor Shumlin at the end of the session, tilted the balance in favor of renewable energy. Nonetheless, we compromised because the final bill was a modest attempt to restore some regional and local control in renewable energy projects while addressing noise pollution by wind turbines.

by Mike Faher/The Commons State regulators have rejected an anti-nuclear group’s last-minute objections to spent fuel plans at Vermont Yankee. The Vermont Public Service Board still is considering Entergy’s plans to build a new storage facility for radioactive spent fuel at the Vernon plant. But in an order issued June 1, the board declined to admit new evidence offered by New England Coalition in the case. The Brattleboro-based coalition had asked the Public Service Board to consider information about the proposed fuel facility’s visibility and its potential to be built underground. The board, however, ruled that the coalition’s motions were too little, too late.

Vermont Business Magazine Matthew Wyman, 31, and Joey Wyman, 34, of Cavendish, Vermont, were arraigned Tuesday on charges arising from unlawful logging of trees on state land. Matthew Wyman was arraigned on two counts of unlawful mischief and Joey Wyman was arraigned on two counts of sale or possession of stolen property. According to documents filed with the court, a maple tree and a yellow birch tree were unlawfully cut down in Proctor Piper State Forest and removed and sold to a lumber yard for more than $1,200. The documents allege that Matthew Wyman cut down the trees without permission and Joey Wyman transported the logs for sale with his truck and trailer.

Vermont Business Magazine As an opiate epidemic continues to grip Vermont and the rest of America, Governor Peter Shumlin on Wednesday signed a law that seeks to address the source of that crisis: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved opioid painkillers that are handed out at an alarming rate. The new law will set limits on the number of powerful, addictive painkillers that can be prescribed for some procedures in Vermont. The legislation, S243, directs the Commissioner of Health to adopt rules governing the prescription of opioids for acute pain  and place limits on the number of pills that can be prescribed for some procedures. The rules would apply to all prescribers, including dentists. The law will also require prescribers to provide all patients with information and education concerning safe use, storage, and disposal of prescription opioids.

Vermont Business Magazine The 16th annual Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival will be held on Saturday, June 11 and organizers are planning for an exciting day of fishing fun and trophy catches. Designed for young anglers and families, the festival offers basic fishing instruction and the opportunity for kids to catch big trout in the hatchery pond. While the event as a whole is for families, the hatchery pond will only be open to fishing for kids. No prior fishing experience is needed and Vermont Fish & Wildlife will be supplying fishing rods, reels and bait for use by participants. The festival will run from 9 am to 3 pm at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station at 14 Bell Hill Road in Grand Isle. Registration will close at 2 pm, but the hatchery pond will remain open to fishing until 3 pm. Bass season begins Saturday, June 11.

Vermont Business Magazine The State of Vermont has named Vergennes-based Nathaniel Group, Inc. a Vermont Green Business for the company’s environmental stewardship and sustainability efforts.  The Vermont Green Business Program provides assistance to businesses working to “green up” their operations and recognizes businesses of all sizes for meeting a set of environmental sustainability standards. These standards are posted on the program websites (www.vbep.org).

In addition to participating in an environmental assessment, Nathaniel completed a large energy reduction program that reduced energy consumption by 47 percent. The program involved delamping fluorescent fixtures, installing motion sensor light switches in some rooms, and installing  LEDs in exterior light fixtures. Last year the company replaced its aging HVAC units with new high efficiency models.

Vermont Business Magazine Mach7 Technologies (ASX:M7T), a global provider of enterprise imaging solutions based in Burlington, Wednesday announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: US Healthcare Provider VNA/AICA Unstructured Data Platforms for Integrated Care 2016 Vendor Assessment. This study focuses on Vendor Neutral and Application-Independent Clinical Archive (VNA and AICA) platforms that allow providers to manage and provide access to disparate types of unstructured content among multiple departments, across the entire integrated delivery network (IDN), and between affiliated providers in the community.

Study Highlights Participants, Contenders, Major Players and Leaders

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today signed into law the state budget. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 budget appropriates $5.8 billion in state and federal funds, representing an increase of $134 million, or 2.4 percent, over the FY2016 Budget Adjustment Act.

by Andrew A Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Finance & Management It is the end of another legislative session and the beginning of another campaign season.  As with all campaign seasons, the State’s budget will likely become a topic of debate and conversation. Vermont, unlike most states, does not have a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. However, Vermonters still expect fiscal responsibility from state government. Even in difficult times, such as the Great Recession and Tropical Storm Irene, the State has continuously refused to run a deficit. Moreover, Vermont has fully funded rainy day funds, and has refused to tap them during difficult budget periods. 

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said this morning that the city will not pursue the Trump Campaign through the court system in an attempt to collect an unpaid bill. Trump was billed for extra police and related services when he gave a speech at the Flynn Theater in early January. The much publicized event drew a long-line of supporters to hear the presumptive Republican presidential nominee speak. Extra police were called in and Main Street in front of the Flynn was blocked off. A small but vocal group opposing Trump also showed up. The entire event was peaceful.