Current News

Vermont Gas Systems has been named the 2014 Business of the Year by the Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation (FCIDC). Each year the FCIDC, a private, non-profit development corporation sponsored by the State of Vermont and Franklin County businesses and municipalities, recognizes a Vermont business that fosters economic growth.

The FCIDC says Vermont Gas’ recent addition of 14 miles of natural gas distribution pipeline to the village of Enosburg Falls has given nearly 600 residential and commercial customers access to an affordable and cleaner energy option. Over 40% have switched in just the first year and all together they are expected to save about $900,000 this year.

Vermont Gas accepted the award at a reception on Thursday, November 6.

Tim Smith, executive director at FCIDC said natural gas is a cornerstone of the county’s economic strategy.

Today, Fletcher Allen Health Care filed the final project costs for our inpatient bed replacement project with the Green Mountain Care Board. This was the final part of a three-part submission in the Certificate of Need (CON) application process. Part one was preliminary planning under the Conceptual CON issued in August 2013, and part two was the submission of our building proposal at the end of September 2014. This portion of the CON application includes the total project cost of $187.3 million, associated financial tables and construction plans. Fletcher Allen anticipates the building will be ready for occupancy in just under four years.

· Total project will cost $187.3M

· Building would contain 128 single-bed inpatient rooms

· Occupancy anticipated in September 2018

Vermont Business Magazine New weekly unemployment claims in Vermont were up for the fifth straight week. This is in stark contrast to the summer and early fall. again last week and are near 800 claims for the first time in several months. Levels this year had been running consistently lower than those of last year, but are now running ahead of last year's numbers. For the week of November 1, 2014, there were 922 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is an increase of 125 from the previous week's total, and 139 more than they were a year ago.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org For many observers, Rep. Mike Fisher’s defeat in the Addison 4 district came as a surprise, and as a rebuke of Vermont’s push for single-payer health care. Fisher, an eight-term incumbent Democrat, serves as Chair of the House Health Care Committee, and helped to craft Act 48, the legislation putting Vermont on a path to single-payer. “Having him out of the picture is a big loss,” said Dr. Deb Richter, president of Vermont Health Care For All, a single-payer advocacy group.

Vermont Business Magazine Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Milne today criticized Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin for his claim of victory in the 2014 gubernatorial race. Milne also suggested that a recount may be in order. Shumlin held a press conference in Burlington Wednesday afternoon stating that he had won the election based on an Associated Press count showing he received about 2,000 votes more than runner-up Milne. He did not receive a clear majority, however, which would leave the race up to the Legislature to officially decide, controlled by Democrats in the House and Senate. As he waits for the last ballots to be sent from a handful of town clerks, Secretary of State Jim Condos is reporting on his election Web site that with 96.36 percent of the vote counted, Shumlin had 88,419 votes or 46.36 percent of the vote and Milne had 85,983 votes or 45.08 percent of the vote.

Vermont Attorney General William H Sorrell, working closely with the Agency of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Board, filed suit today against Moretown Landfill, Inc (MLI) relating to its operation of the Moretown Landfill. The suit seeks civil penalties for alleged violations of the Vermont Solid Waste Management Rules, Air Pollution Control Regulations, Water Pollution Control statute, a solid waste facility certification, Act 250 land use permit, and stormwater construction permit. Some of the alleged violations continued over a period of years. The Complaint was filed on November 6, 2014 in Washington Superior Court.

On Saturday, November 8, representatives of Champlain College’s Robert P. Stiller School of Business at Champlain College will dedicate the David L Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, the only academic center in the world that focuses solely on the positive organizational development practice known as Appreciative Inquiry. The new center of excellence at Champlain College is named for Dr David L Cooperrider, an internationally-renowned academic leader, business consultant, motivational speaker and author of 15 books who has a long affiliation with Champlain College and Vermont. Bob Stiller, who founded Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and his wife Christine gave a transformational gift of $10 million in 2012 to support programs in Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College.

As winter rapidly approaches, this can be an exciting time for some Vermonters waiting for the first flakes of snowfall on the Green Mountains. It can also be a difficult time for too many Vermonters as the arrival of colder weather puts many at risk of not being able to heat their homes over the long winter months. Green Mountain Power is donating $130,000 to WARMTH, a program that helps Vermonters with heating emergencies. The company urges others to get involved and support this critical program.

“Helping our neighbors is a core Vermont value that we share with thousands of Vermonters who contribute to the WARMTH program,” said Mary Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Mountain Power. “We are very pleased to make this donation to help ensure that those who need help with heating costs stay warm this winter. We hope that others will join by giving what they can using the convenient donation slips in your GMP bills this month.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation issued a draft water quality certification decision Wednesday regarding the future operations of Green Mountain Power’s Waterbury Hydroelectric Project. Under this decision, the Waterbury Reservoir would be maintained at the current summertime level year-round to protect water quality and recreational use of the reservoir. Also, flows through the dam would be managed to more closely mirror the natural flow of the Little River in a manner that improves fish habitat and the ecological health of the river.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a series of public meetings this November to outline the next steps in Vermont’s efforts to restore water quality in Lake Champlain. The meetings will be moderated by the Lake Champlain Basin Program, and will include both afternoon and evening sessions to encourage participation by all interested persons. The November meetings have three major goals: EPA will provide a technical update on the phosphorus reductions Vermont needs to make, share the process and timeline for completing and implementing the plan, and outline a draft framework for monitoring progress. EPA is working closely with the State of Vermont in preparing a formal plan to reduce phosphorous runoff into Lake Champlain by developing a “Total Maximum Daily Load” (TMDL) that will place a cap on the maximum amount of phosphorous that is allowed to enter the Lake and still meet Vermont’s water quality standards.

With youth deer weekend just around the corner, young hunters are encouraged to take to the field to hone their skills and to also help Vermont Fish & Wildlife biologists by reporting their deer at one of 23 biological check stations around the state. Youth deer hunting weekend helps ensure that young hunters get the quality training they need for lifelong participation, and it also provides biological information needed to manage the herd into the future. The biological check stations listed below will be open from 9 am to 8:30 pm on November 8 and 9.

Green Mountain College has earned a STARS “gold” rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, measures sustainability in all aspects of higher education.

AASHE gives awards in the platinum, gold, silver and bronze categories. No institution has ever been awarded the highest platinum rating. Colleges and universities report data every three years—this is the second time GMC has received a gold ranking.

With more than 650 participants on six continents, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information about a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in operations, academics, engagement and planning, and administration.