Current News

Four St Johnsbury non-profits’Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, St. Johnsbury Academy and Catamount Arts’will jointly promote the combined arts-and-culture resources that exist within their organizations and develop new opportunities for collaboration to enhance St. Johnsbury's cultural climate and creative economy. The group is recognizing their proximate area in St Johnsbury as the Arts & Culture Campus.

As requested by Central Vermont Public Service in November, the Vermont Public Service Board has authorized a 4.8 percent rate increase under the company’s alternative regulation plan. The change will take effect with bills rendered on January 2.
Even after the increase, the company’s rates will remain competitive with the major utilities in New England. The bill for a residential customer who uses 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month will rise from $82.26 to $86.22. By comparison, the same customer would pay as much as $114.03 elsewhere in New England, according to the Edison Electric Institute.
The rate change is being driven by a variety of factors, which include new power contracts at competitive, yet slightly higher costs, and investments in its system to improve reliability for customers. Meanwhile, the rate impact was mitigated by a reduction in CVPS' allowed return on equity, which will drop from 9.45 to 9.17 percent.

Green Mountain Power (GMP) has announced that it will conserve more than 2,700 acres of land in the Northeast Kingdom. The land is being protected as part of GMP's Kingdom Community Wind project on Lowell Mountain that will produce enough electricity to supply 24,000 homes.
"GMP has protected more than 2,700 acres to mitigate the 159 acre impact of the project," said Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power. "The conserved land provides for important habitat to offset the overall project effects and provides connectivity to other conserved lands. This level of mitigation is unprecedented in Vermont."

The post-Irene mobile home de-construction team assembled by Lt. Governor Phil Scott and Secretary of Commerce and Community Development Lawrence Miller has reported that they removed 68 homes in six parks around the state, completing the first phase of their work in early December.
Scott and Miller launched the project in late September after hearing that many Vermonters whose mobile homes were destroyed in the flood were facing disposal costs of $3,500 to $4,500. A total of 385 mobile homes throughout the state received some level of FEMA assistance, and 141 of these were deemed "substantially damaged" and beyond repair. However, the average FEMA award to mobile home owners - which was to cover repair or replacement of the home itself as well as damaged contents and temporary housing costs -- was only $4,500.

The final segment of Vermont’s state highway system closed due to damage from Tropical Storm Irene reopened to traffic Thursday. A celebration was held at Stockbridge Central School to commemorate the reopening of the ‘Last Mile,’ actually just over seven miles of Vermont Route 107 between Bethel and Stockbridge. State and local officials joined with VTrans workers and representatives from the many groups that played a part in the reconstruction process to celebrate, remember and mark the beginning of the next phase of recovery for the hard-hit region.
The reconstruction of Route 107 was accomplished in 16 weeks through a combination of innovation and hard work. More than 46 companies, including two major contractors and two railroads, worked with VTrans, National Guard units and law enforcement personnel to complete the project.

Governor Peter Shumlin has announced that Sue Minter, Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Transportation, will replace Neale Lunderville as Irene Recovery Officer. Minter will step into the new post on January 6, as Lunderville returns to his job at Green Mountain Power.

‘Neale has been critical in bringing Vermont through the immediate aftermath of the worst storm to hit this state in nearly a century, and to help shape the recovery plan as we move into 2012,’ Shumlin said. ‘I appreciate his willingness to help his state in a crisis.’

Minter, the Governor noted, has also been a pivotal player in the Irene recovery effort, working with AOT Secretary Brian Searles and the transportation crews to get 500 miles of damaged roads and 34 closed bridges re-opened before the brunt of the winter season hit Vermont. The last road ‘ Route 107 ‘ re-opened today.

The State of Vermont has awarded $409,532 in Municipal Planning Grants to 42 communities across the state to help them plan for a variety of forward thinking objectives including economic development, village revitalization and future housing needs. These grants of up to $15,000 cover a variety of planning initiatives and projects.
Funded projects include village planning in Peru, Hinesburg and Fairfax, innovative form-based plans and bylaws in St. Albans, Burlington and Newport, a housing assessment in Rutland, public works and capital planning in Cavendish, standards for highway commercial development in Waltham and New Haven, and an economic development plan in Bennington that will involve all the key businesses and organizations. Municipalities have 18 months to complete their planning projects.

Governor Peter Shumlin and legislative leaders have announced that the state would add $6.1 million to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, to help ensure Vermonters can afford to heat their homes and stay warm this winter.
Despite the heavy lifting of Vermont’s Congressional delegation, the federal contribution to LIHEAP will be about $8 million less than last year. Vermont received $27.6 million in fuel assistance from the federal government for heating assistance last year, providing an average benefit of $866. This year Vermont expects to receive $19.5 million, providing an average benefit amount of $750, the Governor said.
‘We should not let vulnerable Vermonters freeze in their homes this winter season,’ Gov. Shumlin said. ‘The state will provide the additional funding to help ensure every Vermonter stays warm. In addition, we will review the program to find ways of ensuring that heating assistance is sustainable in future years.’

Central Vermont Public Service today announced a $10,000 company donation and $100,000 in matching funds for CVPS Shareheat, a last-resort program that provides emergency fuel assistance to hundreds of Vermont families each year.
‘With federal cutbacks in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Shareheat will be more important than ever this winter,’ CVPS spokesman Steve Costello said. ‘As a result, CVPS is making a special $10,000 donation to Shareheat, in addition to a pledge of $100,000 in funds to match customer contributions dollar for dollar.’

Last Mile Celebration ‘ The planned reopening of Vermont Route 107 between Bethel and Stockbridge ‘ the final segment of state highway closed due to Tropical Storm Irene.
WHO: VTrans, State and Local Officials, Contractors, Local Partners, Community Members
WHEN: Thursday, December 29, 1:00 pm
WHERE: Stockbridge Central School
2933 VT Route 107
Stockbridge, VT
SUMMARY: To coincide with the planned reopening of Vermont Route 107 this week, state and local officials will join with project partners and community groups to celebrate this important step in Vermont’s recovery. This event is open to the public.

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s EB-5 Regional Center has again received the EB-5 Regional Center of the Year Award for the second year in row by the Artisan Business Group.
The Artisan Business group is one of the largest EB-5 brokers in the world, dealing primarily with the Chinese investor marketplace. In giving the award, the Artisan group noted that as the only government-run regional center in the country, Vermont stands out with its strong governmental support, including direct involvement in the program from Gov. Peter Shumlin and Sen. Patrick Leahy. Artisan further states that Vermont’s intensive application process and oversight has led to stronger than average projects, creating a strong market brand for Vermont.

New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) has donated $5,000 to the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation. Created in 2005, the Foundation serves to meet the emergency financial needs of the men and women of the Vermont National Guard and their families.
Bill Smith, NEFCU Senior Retail Delivery Executive, presented a check to Brigadier General Steven Cray on Wednesday, Dec. 7. According to Smith, ‘NEFCU is proud to recognize the men and women of the Vermont Guard in their significant service to our country and state, especially their contribution during Tropical Storm Irene and in Iraq and Afghanistan. We will not forget their service and loss.’
General Cray stated that ‘The Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation is grateful for the donation and partnership with NEFCU. Donations like this will be used to improve the lives of the National Guard members and their families that are proud to serve the citizens of Vermont.