Current News

Vermont Business Magazine At its final seminar of 2016, LaunchVT, Vermont’s business pitch competition, announced the seven finalists for the 2016 competition. After viewing 50 applications, the LaunchVT Advisory Board Selection Committee chose six to continue as finalists in the competition. A seventh finalist enters the competition as a result of the LaunchVT Collegiate Competition, held in February. The winner of that competition received prize money as well as an automatic finalist spot in LaunchVT. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation has agreed to pay $5,000 in civil penalties to the State of Vermont, to settle claims that the Department violated its environmental permits concerning the maintenance of sewage treatment and disposal systems at two state parks (Button Bay State Park and Lake Carmi State Park).

by Deb Markowitz, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources As a parent, and as the head of Vermont’s environmental agency, I often ask myself, what will be our generation’s environmental legacy?  We strive to keep our families healthy and safe, our communities prosperous, and our natural environment free from the effects of harmful pollution. That is why it was so disturbing when we discovered that private drinking wells of over a hundred North Bennington residents were contaminated with a potentially harmful chemical, PFOA(perfluorooctanoic acid), and that a public drinking water supply in Pownal serving 450 families also exceeded the recommended limits for this chemical. 

by Michael Bielawski and Bruce Parker Vermont Watchdog The Vermont Senate on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to a renewable energy bill aimed at giving towns more input on the siting of wind and solar projects. After failing to resolve thorny issues ranging from town veto power to costs for ratepayers, the Vermont Senate voted 25-3 to advance S230 to a final reading and consideration of amendments to be debated on Thursday.

The discussion on the Senate floor was a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism. Supporters expressed hope that the bill would quiet a rebellion by towns against poorly sited renewable energy projects, but some senators questioned why the body was voting to advance the bill without first resolving its problems.

On the issue of who should pay the $400,000 appropriated in S230 for town and regional planning efforts, state Sen. Kevin Mullin, R-Rutland, rejected placing the costs on utilities, and therefore on ratepayers.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Smoke & Cure, maker of delicious smoked meats and meat snacks since 1962, is teaming up again with AllEarth Renewables of Williston to source local renewable solar to power the company’s electrical needs. With the addition of a third solar project for the Vermont company, now nearly two-thirds of Vermont Smoke & Cure’s electric demand is being supplied by solar. A 150kW orchard in Hinesburg, 156kW project in Essex and 88kW in Marshfield will produce approximately 610,000-kilowatt hours annually of emissions-free solar electricity for the specialty food company, which employs around 70 people.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Attorney General William H Sorrell on Tuesday joined attorneys general from across the nation in a meeting in New York City to announce a national coalition with 17 other States and Territories to protect and expand progress the nation has made in combating climate change. The attorneys general were joined by former vice president and leading climate activist Al Gore for the announcement in New York City. All of the members of the new coalition are part of a coalition of 25 states, cities and counties that intervened to defend the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s “Clean Power Plan” against legal challenge. Also on Tuesday, the interveners filed a brief in the DC Circuit Court in support of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan rule, which requires fossil-fueled power plants, the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in the nation, to cut their emissions pursuant to the Clean Air Act.

Vermont Business Magazine The Addison County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC), Vermont’s only Kiva Zip Trustee, has endorsed the first Kiva Zip loan in Addison County for Caroline’s Dream, a handcrafted skincare producer based in East Middlebury. Kiva Zip is a loan program within the global non-profit Kiva that offers 0% interest loans for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States through crowdfunding. Kiva Zip Trustees are individuals or organizations who recommend borrowers to the Kiva Zip program. Trustees are an integral part of the model because of their ability to vouch for an entrepreneur’s character and reputation.

Susan Shashok

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Gas announced Wednesday that it is a charter member of the US Environmental Protection Agency National Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program. The voluntary program provides a new mechanism through which companies like Vermont Gas can make and track ambitious commitments to reduce methane emissions.

Vermont Business Magazine Orvis, the premier outfitter of outdoor adventures and the longest continually-operating fly fishing business, is once again gearing up to host their popular free fly fishing lessons nationwide! Every Saturday from April 23 through June 18, 2016, Orvis retail stores and participating dealers will offer Fly Fishing 101, a free clinic providing people of all ages an opportunity to learn more about the sport. Now in its seventh year, Orvis has introduced over 50,000 people to the joys of fly fishing with these complimentary clinics which offer participants lessons on fly casting and outfit rigging.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) Wednesday announced the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) will begin accepting applications for the next round of grants to encourage economic development and job creation along the norther border of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. The commission has approximately $1.7 million in federal funding to award to projects in Franklin, Lamoille, Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Bill Sorrell, together with state law enforcement partners in every other state in the nation, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), have obtained a permanent injunction to dissolve two nationwide sham cancer charities and ban their president from profiting from any charity fundraising in the future under a settlement filed in court today. “The settlement announced today pulls the plug on these sham charities,” said Vermont Attorney General William H Sorrell. “Charitable contributions support numerous important activities in our communities and we will not allow scammers to deprive legitimate charities of much needed support.”

Vermont Business Magazine A Williston drinking water-testing laboratory is contesting allegations made by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection that its methodology did not meet requirements and will be filing an appeal with the DEP. The DEP on Monday suspended the accreditation of Analytical Services, Inc. The notice was made public March 29. DEP accredited the laboratory in March 2015 to provide analysis of drinking water supplies for cryptosporidium, giardia, and E. coli. Over the past year, 15 Pennsylvania public water systems in Pennsylvania used Analytical Services to conduct raw source water sampling as part of a routine assessment for only those contaminants. ASI does microbiological testing, consulting and research.