Current News

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, the Vermont National Guard commander, today marked the completion of one of the largest solar installations in Vermont and one of the largest solar projects on any National Guard base in the country.
The chairman of the Senate Green Jobs Subcommittee, Sanders helped secure $8.5 million to make the base here one of the greenest in the United States and a model for other guard installations around the country. ‘I am very appreciative and proud of what General Dubie and the Vermont National Guard have accomplished in constructing this solar project. The U.S. military is the largest consumer of energy in the world, and the Vermont National Guard is now playing a significant role in becoming a model for the Department of Defense as it moves toward energy efficiency and sustainable energy,’ Sanders said.

A Vermont ski resort has agreed to pay $80,000 for wetlands violations to settle claims by the US Environmental Protection Agency that it violated the federal Clean Water Act when it filled in just over two acres of wetlands and streams and failed to obtain proper permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
According to EPA, a construction company working for Jay Peak Resort, Inc. placed dirt, sand and rocks into numerous wetlands and streams, affecting just over two acres of wetlands and streams during construction of its golf course between 2004 and 2006 without a required permit.
This case was brought to the attention of EPA by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the spring of 2008. Since then, the Corps and EPA have worked together in pursuing this case.

With foliage beginning to reach its peak in some Vermont areas, and roadway traffic expected to increase over the next few weeks, Vermont Agency of Transportation Secretary Brian Searles today reminded motorists to respect road-closed signs in storm-damaged regions of the state.
Road crews have reported that motorists in some areas are increasingly driving past signs that clearly indicate the roadway is either closed or open only to local traffic. As a result, increased traffic through construction zones is slowing work and endangering the safety of both motorists and highway workers.
‘Vermont is a spectacular place during fall-foliage season,’ Searles said. ‘The vast majority of Vermont is open to public travel and welcomes your visit,’ Searles said. ‘But when you see a road-closed sign, please respect its message and seek an alternate route.’

Governor Peter Shumlin and Agency of Transportation Secretary Brian Searles on Thursday at a barbeque in Rockingham thanked Vermont National Guard members for more than a month of exemplary service helping the state recover from flood damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene. Five Vermont guard units deployed personnel to numerous Vermont locations where they helped state and municipal highway crews rebuild both local and state roadways.
‘Guard members worked incredibly long hours to help us rebuild Vermont’s roads and bridges better than we found them before Irene,’ Gov. Shumlin said. ‘Their service and sacrifice will be remembered for generations to come.’
Vermont National Guard road rebuilding crews will begin demobilizing this weekend. Guard units and personnel deployed to aid roadway recovery included members of the following divisions:
· 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
· 86th Special Troops Battalion

Vermont's congressional delegation - Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch - today announced a $659,784 grant to the Vermont New Farmer Network (VNFN). The grant will allow VNFN to provide training and assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers to help them run successful and sustainable farms.
The Vermont New Farmers Network is a working group of agricultural organizations committed to serving the needs of new and aspiring farmers in Vermont. The grant is made possible through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). Under BFRDP, USDA makes grants to organizations that implement education, training, technical assistance and outreach programs to help beginning farmers and ranchers, specifically those who have been farming or ranching for ten years or fewer.

There were 608 new regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance last week. This is a decrease of 109 from the week before, as new claims again fell following a two-week spike in claims resulting from tropical storm Irene. The week prior to the storm saw a seasonal low of fewer than 500 claims. Altogether 5,981 new and continuing claims were filed, a decrease of 394 from a week ago and 1,285 fewer than a year earlier. The Department also processed 1,443 First Tier claims for benefits under Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08), 1 fewer than a week ago. In addition, there were 727 Second Tier claims for benefits processed under the EUC08 program, which is unchanged from the week before. The Unemployment Weekly Report can be found at: http://www.vtlmi.info/.

In a luncheon ceremony held on Friday, September 30, 2011, at the Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield, NH, the Brattleboro Retreat bestowed the 2011 Anna Marsh Award to Senator Robert T. Gannett.
The Anna Marsh Award was established by the Brattleboro Retreat in 2009 to recognize individuals for their advocacy on behalf of people with mental illness. Gannett served on the Brattleboro Retreat Board of Trustees from 1967 to 1981.
President Simpson and Senator Gannett
‘Throughout Bob Gannett’s incredible career he has been steadfast in his commitment to helping people in need live better lives,’ said Robert E. Simpson, president and chief executive officer of the Brattleboro Retreat. ‘This award is our way of recognizing his many contributions to the community, to the Brattleboro Retreat, and to the patients we continue to serve thanks to his vision and compassion.’

People’s United Community Foundation has announced a $50,000 donation to the American Red Cross to support the disaster relief efforts that continue throughout New England in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene.

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) announced today that staff will begin the shift from an exclusive focus on emergency response to working with municipalities, businesses and homeowners to maximize the long- term effectiveness of the state’s flood recovery work.
‘The first phase of the disaster response primarily involved emergency river work that would enable Vermonters to get back to their homes and businesses,’ said Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz. ‘The work of opening up travel routes remains critical to public health and safety and our economy,’ stressed Markowitz, ‘so we are still involved in emergency efforts to allow these repairs, but now is the time to prepare for the floods that will come with melting snow and spring rains.’

Casella Waste Systems, Inc., (NASDAQ: CWST) announced today that it extended the expiration date of its offer to exchange up to $200,000,000 of new 7.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2019 (the "new notes") that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 for an equal amount of outstanding unregistered 7.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2019 (the "old notes"). As a result of the extension, the exchange offer is now scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 3, 2011, unless further extended.
The exchange offer was originally set to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 29, 2011. As of this date, tenders of approximately $196,965,000 aggregate principal amount, or 98.5%, of the old notes have been received pursuant to the exchange offer. Except for the extension of the expiration date, all of the other terms of the exchange offer remain as set forth in the exchange offer prospectus, dated August 30, 2011.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) announced Thursday evening that bridge #9 on Route 9, in the Town of Bennington, just past Barney Road heading east, has been closed to one lane of traffic after bridge inspectors determined there was scouring of one of the supporting piers.
VTrans has been conducting additional rounds of bridge inspections after debris has been removed and some of these inspections are revealing additional damage to the bridges. ‘The bridge inspector advised that we close the bridge to one lane due to the scouring that they found, so we are closing the east lane of the bridge until repairs can be made,’ said Rich Tetreault, VTrans Chief Engineer. ‘We are inspecting bridges throughout the affected areas as necessary to ensure the safety of the traveling public, which may mean multiple inspections on the same bridge as conditions change,’ continued Tetreault.

The Dover, Vermont Select Board approved a motion on Tuesday to spend $100,000 in a marketing campaign aimed at promoting tourism in the Mount Snow Valley to combat negative impressions post-Tropical Storm Irene. With primary and most secondary roads now open, local businesses are eager to welcome patrons for the traditionally lucrative fall foliage season and beyond.
The motion was brought about following collaboration between members of the Dover Economic Development Committee, Dover Select Board and Mount Snow in which a marketing plan was presented to the Select Board featuring data that included demographics, reach, advertising mediums and costs.