Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Last week, GlobalFoundries opened its doors in Essex Junction to local high school students for a day of learning and tours in honor of Manufacturing Day (the first Friday of every October). Hosted by GF's GlobalAmbassadors, Juniors and Seniors from Center for Technology Essex and Winooski High School visited the site to learn about GF, tour the fab and facilities, learn different career pathways at GF, chat with engineers over lunch, and try a hands-on robotics demo with SPOT the robot.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Economic Development announced today the state of Vermont is committing $4,058,184 from the Vermont Brownfields Revitalization Fund that promotes the productive reuse of contaminated sites to cleanup properties in Hardwick, Barre, Newport, Burlington, Fairlee, Rutland City, and Winooski. “Cleaning up unused brownfields and turning them into economic opportunities has been a priority for my team,” said Governor Scott. “Transforming these brownfields into job creators and much needed housing is exactly the kind of work Vermont needs advance.”

by Leah Golding, Community News Service Construction on the walk-bike bridge known as the East-West Crossing in South Burlington is expected to start at the end of 2024, city leaders say, with a target opening two years later. The $14.5 million project, which would see a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians stretch over Interstate 89, has been in development for years now and aims to address one of the riskiest tracts of road in the state. Design work is about 60% finished, according to Ilona Blanchard, the city’s community development director, and a study is underway to determine connection points between the bridge and existing walk and bike lanes and sidewalks.  

Vermont Business Magazine City Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District) announced her candidacy for the position of Mayor of Burlington today, amid a gathering of supporters, family, and community leaders on the steps of City Hall. The announcement event took place on Thursday, November 2nd, and marks a significant step in Shannon’s political career as she seeks to secure the Democratic nomination at the upcoming Burlington Democratic Caucus on December 10th.

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, today reported its financial results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2023. Highlights for the Three Month and Year-to-Date Periods Ended September 30, 2023 include: Revenues were $352.7 million for the quarter, up $57.5 million, or up 19.5%, from the same period in 2022; Overall solid waste pricing for the quarter was up 6.9% from the same period in 2022, primarily a result of 7.6% higher collection pricing and 5.9% higher disposal pricing; Net income was $18.2 million for the quarter, down $(4.5) million, or down (19.8)%, from the same period in 2022. Net income was negatively impacted by several items in the quarter, including a $2.4 million increase in expense from acquisition activities from the same period in 2022; Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, was $89.6 million for the quarter, up $14.6 million, or up 19.4%, from the same period in 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are down 3 cents per gallon this week to $3.60/g. Prices are down 20 cents/g from a month ago and down 29 cents/g from a year ago. The lowest price in the state yesterday is $3.09/g in Brattleboro while the highest is $3.99/g in Wolcott. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.41/g today. 

Vermont Business Magazine Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), the trade association representing Vermont’s renewable energy industry, applauds the U.S. Department of Energy’s announcement that National Grid’s Twin States Clean Energy Link was selected as one of three projects nationwide to receive investment through the U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Transmission Facilitation Program (TCP). The TCP is a $2.5 billion revolving fund to for building new, large-scale transmission lines supporting interregional transmission projects that will strengthen grid resilience and reliability and enable the addition of more renewable energy resources to the grid.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Nature Conservancy has completed a low-cost river restoration project along one mile of Hubbardton River tributaries at its Hubbardton River Clayplain Natural Area in West Haven, Vermont. The restoration project demonstrates new techniques for improving wildlife habitat, reducing downstream pollution, and improving flood resiliency at low cost. Approximately 75 percent of Vermont’s rivers, adjacent floodplains, and wetlands are in poor physical condition due to centuries of dredging, straightening, and armoring Vermont’s waterways to make way for buildings, roads, and agriculture. The degraded condition of these rivers has contributed to nutrient pollution in lakes and ponds, loss of river and wetland habitat, and increased flood impacts to our homes, businesses, and roadways.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking hunters to participate in its annual deer hunter effort and sighting survey. The survey asks hunters to record how many hours they hunted and how many deer, moose, bears, or other wildlife they saw each day they hunted. This information helps the department evaluate how hunting pressure and the number of these animals varies around the state. The easiest way to complete the survey is to use the Deer Hunting Log feature in the Vermont Outdoors mobile app. 

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (Nasdaq: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management services company, announced that the Company is adding a new member to its senior leadership team. President & Chief Financial Officer, Edmond “Ned” R. Coletta, will retain his role as President while the Company hires Bradford J. Helgeson to serve as the new Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, effective November 6, 2023.

Vermont State Police Initial investigation into a fire that destroyed the RK Miles lumber yard Wednesday night, Nov. 1, 2023, in Montpelier has uncovered no evidence to indicate the blaze is suspicious. The origin of the fire is undetermined. No injuries were reported. The fire was reported at 6:14 p.m. Wednesday when emergency dispatchers received multiple calls that a building at the lumber yard, at 707 Stone Cutters Way, was engulfed in flames. The Montpelier Fire Department had a crew on scene within four minutes and began an initial attack on the fire. Suddenly shifting winds pushed the flames in the direction of the fire engine, forcing firefighters to evacuate. The engine was a total loss.

Vermont Business Magazine ISO New England has released its draft report on the results of the 2050 Transmission Study. The first-of-its-kind study, driven by assumptions about the region’s future resource mix and demand for electricity provided by the New England states, offers an overview of the regional transmission system investment needed into the middle of the century to ensure reliability throughout the clean energy transition. Cumulative costs to upgrade the transmission system could reach $17 billion to reliably serve a 51 gigawatt (GW) peak in 2050, or $26 billion to support a 57 GW peak, the ISO’s report said. To reach those levels, the region’s annual investment over the next 26 years would need to roughly keep pace with or exceed the average spent each year over the past two decades. The Burlington area presents its own problems, especially in the winter as heating becomes more electrified, because of a lack of generation and high-voltage transmission options.