Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The US Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $15.6 million to the State of Vermont to help finance improvements to water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment. The funds will be primarily used to upgrade sewage plants and drinking water systems, as well as replacing aging infrastructure, throughout the state. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, administrated by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Vermont Bond Bank, received $6.8 million. EPA’s funding provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects to make improvements to wastewater treatment systems, control pollution from stormwater runoff, and protect sensitive water bodies and estuaries.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont National Guard announces that 5 personnel from Vermont's Operational Support Airlift (OSA) Detachment are deploying to the Horn of Africa in support of United States Africa Command (U.S. AFRICOM). "The Vermont National Guard is very proud of their contribution to regional security and stability in the Horn of Africa," said Maj. Gen. Steven Cray, the adjutant general. "It's important to remember that America's military is still forward deployed across the world performing numerous missions to include not only combat operations but humanitarian and training missions. The Vermont National Guard's deployment to the Horn of Africa is a testament to the strength, professionalism and readiness of our National Guard as an asset to the Total Force."

Today, on World AIDS Day, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) condemned price gouging by pharmaceutical companies on lifesaving drugs to treat the disease. “The biggest problem in caring for those with AIDS is no longer mainly a medical or scientific problem – the crisis is access to affordable drugs,” Sanders said. “People are dying in America because they can't afford to pay the outrageous prices for medicine they need to live. In the richest nation in the world, we must do everything possible to get people the medicine they need at a price they can afford.”

Last year, one in five Americans – 35 million people – were unable to afford to fill their prescriptions. The price of Daraprim, a drug taken by AIDS patients, was recently increased 5,000 percent overnight.

by Erin Mansfield vtdigger.org State regulators have released more details on a major health care reform deal that would change significantly the way the health care industry runs in Vermont. Al Gobeille, the chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, told the House Health Care Committee on Monday that he expects to have the terms for an all-payer model agreement with the federal government in December. The terms sheet would be the framework for an agreement that the Green Mountain Care Board would continue to negotiate with the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to create a first-in-the-nation statewide all-payer system.

RELATED STORIES

Vermont Business Magazine The 5^th Annual Ri Ra 5K Santa Run presented by New England Federal Credit Union to support Camp Ta-Kum-Ta will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2015. The race starts outside of Ri Ra Irish Pub on Church Street at 10 am and concludes back in front of Ri Ra Irish Pub. The Ri Ra Santa 5k run returns to Burlington, VT again this year after proving to be a big hit the last four years for the community. Runners from all over New England and Canada will join in on the fun. All race participants receive a Santa suit to be worn during the event and to keep. Plus FREE, full hot breakfast for all participants after the race courtesy of Ri Ra Irish Pub.

Vermont Business Magazine The Green Mountain Care Board will hold a Rate Review Listening Forum from 1 pm to 2 pm on December 3, 2015 on the 2nd floor Board Room located at 89 Main Street, City Center, Montpelier, VT. During this time, Health Policy Director, Judy Henkin will give a brief overview of the Board's role in health insurance regulation, and then we will devote the remaining time to listen to the voices of Vermont Businesses about their experiences and needs with health insurance in Vermont. There will be a sign-up sheet available for comment at the meeting. For those who are unable to attend this meeting, they can submit written public comment, either by email, [email protected], or by mail, 89 Main Street, Montpelier VT. They may also submit verbal comment by calling the Green Mountain Care Board at 802-828-2177

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Christmas tree industry received one of its early customers yesterday when Governor Peter Shumlin arrived at Isham’s Family Farm in Williston to select and cut a tree for the state Pavilion Office Building in Montpelier. The Governor’s annual tree-cutting event not only signals the start of tree-hunting season for many Vermonters, but also draws some well-deserved attention to Vermont’s robust Christmas Tree Industry, which supplies over 134,000 trees to Vermonters and customers throughout New England and as far away as Bermuda.

Governor Shumlin, Chuck Ross and Mike Isham. Courtesy Vermont Ag Agency

Vermont Business Magazine Valener Inc (TSX: VNR), the public investment vehicle in Gaz Métro Limited Partnership based in Montreal, which owns Green Mountain Power and Vermont Gas Systems reported last week an increase in net income and normalized operating cash flows of $58.6 million for fiscal 2015, or $1.53 per common share, up 50% from fiscal 2014, easily covering the dividend payment of$1.022 per common share. The Energy Distribution Segment in Vermont recorded net income of $57.3 million in fiscal 2015, down $0.9 million, or 1.5%, from fiscal 2014. This decrease stems mainly from an after-tax allowance of $8.0 million (US$10.3 million before tax) recorded by VGS in the fourth quarter relating to costs associated with Phase I of the Addison project. However, the strength of the US dollar and the synergies of GMP's acquisition of Central Vermont Public Service in 2012 partly mitigated the decrease.

by Ryan Patch, VAAFM The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) has released a draft copy of the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) for a period of public comment which will run through December 18, 2015. This is a pre-filing period which will afford the opportunity for all interested stakeholders to review the Draft RAPs and provide initial comment before VAAFM will formalize the draft this winter and will then enter into the formal rulemaking process in the spring of 2016. Additional public comment periods will follow both the draft rewrite as well as the formal rulemaking period.

For a copy of the draft RAP document, visit http://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/pdf/water_quality/VAAFM-Draft-RAP.pdf

Vermont Business Magazine Is college worth the cost? This question has been discussed for decades, but now it is in the national spotlight. For many young people, the rising costs of college have put the American dream out of reach. Both parents and students are hitting the ceiling when weighing the growing costs of higher education. Burlington College has been focused on affordability throughout its history. Recently, it was one of the first private colleges in the country to "freeze tuition." Four years later, the College is again addressing affordability for its students. It will reset tuition, making it among the lowest-cost private colleges in the region.

by Mike Smith According to recent polls, I am in the minority in this country and probably in Vermont too when talking about allowing Syrian refugees into this country, and eventually into our state. I support the Syrian refugee resettlement program. I have an appreciation of, and affinity for, the refugee and resettlement programs in Vermont since my days as secretary of human services. But approximately two-thirds of Americans do not share this opinion. And although I don’t agree with their position I can certainly understand their concerns.

These concerns are driven primarily by the fact that it is likely that terrorists slipped into Europe posing as refugees. Fear of an attack happening in the United States is not unfounded.

Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) Renal Dialysis received a 2015 Quality Award from the Island Peer Review Organization (IPRO) and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network of New England at the Network’s Fall Meeting on Tuesday, October 27, 2015, at the Mohegan Sun Conference Center in Uncasville, CT.

The award was presented in recognition of high standards in data collection and submission. SVMC Renal Dialysis team’s reporting in CROWNWeb, the Center for Disease Control’s National Health Safety Network (NHSN) system, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Quality Improvement Program (QIP) in 2014 and 2015 has placed them in the top 15 percent of centers region wide.