Current News

by Erin Mansfield vtdigger.org The renovation of the Waterbury State Office Complex is almost complete, and state employees are on track to move back at the end of 2015. The facility will house about 850 state employees, most of whom work for the Agency of Human Services, the largest agency of state government, and the Department of Public Safety. The project has been in the works since Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 damaged the complex. Heavy rainfall led to severe flooding and the evacuation of psychiatric patients at the Vermont State Hospital. About 1,500 state employees worked at the Waterbury complex at the time.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont home sales were again up by double digits year-over-year in July, but median home price was lagging again and actually dropped last month by 7 percent versus July 2014. For New England overall, year-over-year sales increased by 17.8 percent according to The RE/MAX INTEGRA, New England July Monthly Housing Report. Pending sales were up 19.9 percent over July 2014. And average days on market was down 9.7 percent. However, in every measure, Vermont's home sales were below that of every other New England state, except for median price, where Maine was the lowest. For the region, 21,108 home sales were recorded in July, accounting for over 22 percent of this year’s total transactions.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin announced a number of staff appointments today, incluidng Frank Reed, Christopher Herrick, Tom Cheney, Laura Gray, James Pepper and Jahala Dudley. Frank Reed will become the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health (DMH), effective August 21. Reed has been the Department’s Deputy Commissioner since 2012. Reed became the Department’s Interim Commissioner when the position was vacated by Paul Dupre who retired in June. Reed brings extensive experience to his role; experience gained from more than 30 years as a clinical social worker and mental health professional. Prior to joining DMH in 1999, Reed spent many years in clinical positions at Rutland Mental Health Services and Rutland Regional Medical Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Dynapower Company, the global leader in advanced energy storage inverters baed in South Burlington, Vermont, is expanding its operations by opening a new sales, service and warehouse facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. The new facility, which opens next month, comes as a result of continuous growth in the company's energy storage inverter sales across the US.

Vermont Business Magazine FairPoint Communications, Inc (Nasdaq: FRP), Vermont's largest communications provider, has reached a settlement agreement with the Vermont Department of Public Service that would resolve the state's service quality investigation of FairPoint pending since last December. The agreement, set forth in a filed Memorandum of Understanding, requires approval by the Vermont Public Service Board. FairPoint also has announced that it has accepted an $8.8 million in Connect America funding to expand broadband service to 28,400 locations in Vermont.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Bears in Vermont are already thinking about winter, and are currently in search of easy calories to fatten up. Residential trash bins, bird feeders, pet food, and beehives can become bear attractants if not properly secured. Composting in bear country may also be an issue, and many residents wonder how to compost without enticing curious bears. While food scraps left outside in trash cans or composters may attract hungry bears, Vermonters can take a few measures to minimize conflicts, according to Forrest Hammond, bear project leader with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

Vermont Business Magazine Sierra magazine, the official publication of the Sierra Club, has released its ninth annual "Cool Schools" ranking of America's greenest colleges and universities. The 2015 edition announced that Green Mountain College ranked twelfth in the nation overall. In addition, Sierra gave GMC the second highest rating for academic programs relating to sustainability. This category considers the number of sustainability courses, sustainability learning outcomes, sustainability-related majors, and sustainability literacy assessment.

by John McClaughry What follows is the story of one of the most thoroughly disgraceful special interest schemes ever brought into being in these United States. It is also one of the most fiendishly intricate government programs ever conceived, and its name is Ethanol.

Back in the Nixon years scientists discovered that tetraethyl lead used to improve combustion in gasoline led to serious environmental and health damage. Adding lead to gasoline was banned. That was a good thing.

But gasoline needed an oxygenating additive to turn poisonous carbon monoxide into harmless carbon dioxide. For a while a petroleum-based compound called MBTE filled the bill, but if it escaped into the water supply, it produced seriously negative effects.

Vermont Business Magazine Sterling College has been recognized by two national media outlets for its sustainability efforts. Sierra magazine has awarded a Special Achievement Award in Food, and the College has also been named one of BestColleges.com’s “Greenest Colleges and Universities.” Sierra magazine conferred the Special Achievement Award in Food to Sterling College as part of its annual “Cool Schools” for 2015. This list, released by the Sierra Club’s official publication, ranks universities that lead sustainability initiatives.

Don Rendall, President & CEO of Vermont Gas issued the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of draft federal regulations to cut methane emissions from the nation’s oil and natural gas industry:

“The EPA today set forth an ambitious and important goal aimed at cutting methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40% to 45% over the next decade from 2012 levels.

“At the natural gas distribution level, our company along with others has implemented a strong program to eliminate and reduce potential leaks, with the result that our system today is among the tightest and most efficient in the nation.

“Similar care must be taken throughout the industry, including in exploration, production, processing and transportation of natural gas. We commend those companies who have adopted strict standards and new technologies, and further see the value of strong rules, standards, and enforcement.

Vermont Business Magazine A Rowley Fuels employee delivered 222 gallons of Kerosene to an improperly installed tank on the shore of Lake Champlain in South Hero, VT. As a result the kerosene left the tank and migrated under the building’s foundation and into Lake Champlain.

A major clean-up initiative was launched which included the demolition of a brand new bunkhouse, removal of the foundation and removal of 425 tons of contaminated soils. Absorbent pads were placed leading to the lake, and absorbent booms were installed into Lake Champlain to help capture the kerosene. The contractor collected 140 gallons of free product with the absorbents during the operation.

After the clean-up was completed, Rowley Fuels agreed to pay a penalty of $11,250 to resolve the violation. That settlement has now been approved by the Environmental Court.

You can help improve the streams and rivers of Vermont! Volunteers are needed for events throughout the month of September which is Vermont’s official River Cleanup Month. To find out about an event near you, check out the Vermont River Cleanup web pages at www.watershedsunitedvt.org/vtrivercleanup or call Watersheds United Vermont at (802) 585-3569.

On the ground work has begun and events are currently planned from Springfield up to Morristown and from the Connecticut River Valley to Burlington with many in between. Find the event closest to you via the Watersheds United Vermont’s River Cleanup page. There you will find an interactive map and details about each event. Check back often as new events are posted weekly.