Current News

By Governor Jim Douglas July 6, 2011. As Governor of Vermont, one of my first priorities was to strengthen and grow our state's centuries-long partnership with the Canadian Province of Quebec. I believed then as I do now that this relationship is critical to the success of our great state. Quebec is our largest trading partner and a significant source of clean, stable and, most importantly, renewable energy from Hydro-Quebec. Not only do we share an international border, but we share a deep cultural and historic connection; indeed many families have relatives on both sides.
In December of 2003 I led the first of many delegations north to Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke.

The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, today announced it will award $2.5 million in grants to support affordable housing initiatives through its sixth annual ‘Housing for Everyone’ grant competition.
The ‘Housing for Everyone’ grant competition is one of the TD Charitable Foundation’s most widely known signature programs. The competition invites local non-profit organizations from Maine to Florida to submit proposals outlining their plans and initiatives to support and provide affordable housing initiatives in their communities. Twenty-five organizations throughout TD Bank’s footprint from Maine to Florida will be awarded a $100,000 grant for a total grant donation of $2.5 million.

Attorney General William Sorrell announced today that, barring the receipt of additional evidence, his office has completed its criminal investigation and neither Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee (ENVY) nor any of its current or past employees will be charged with having committed perjury when state officials and others were repeatedly misled about the existence of underground piping carrying radionuclides.
During January of 2010, discovery of a tritium leak at its plant in Vernon prompted ENVY to inform state officials that during sworn testimony and through other communications in 2008 and 2009, it had provided incorrect information when it denied the existence of underground piping carrying radioactive materials. Then-Governor Jim Douglas, then-President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin and Speaker Shap Smith requested the Attorney General to investigate and determine whether in providing this incorrect information, ENVY or its personnel had violated Vermont’s criminal laws.

Learning Materials Workshop today announced that it has won both the 2011 Toy of the Year Award and the 2011 Seal of Excellence Award. Creative Child Magazine awarded Learning Materials Workshop two selective awards in recognition of their excellence in creative toys for children. MAD Constructs, an open-ended building toy designed in collaboration with the Museum of Arts and Design NYC won in 2 categories- Toy of the Year Award in the Builder and Construction Toys Category and Seal of Excellence Award in the Wooden Toys Category.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced travel time on Amtrak’s Vermonter line will be cut by nearly 30 minutes through a $72.8 million grant to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The project will restore a rail line, improving 50 miles of track and infrastructure on a direct route from Springfield to East Northfield, MA, along the Connecticut River Valley.
‘Thanks to President Obama’s commitment to create jobs and strengthen our manufacturing sector, these dollars are delivering more than 200 new jobs along with the purchase of 50 miles of American-made steel rails,’ said Secretary Ray LaHood. ‘Coupled with previous federal investments along the Vermonter line, these improvements will bring almost a one hour reduction in travel time for passengers traveling in Vermont and Massachusetts.’

The Northeast Resource Recovery Association has been awarded the contract to administer the State of Vermont’s E-Cycles program starting July 1, 2011. NRRA and the Association of Vermont Recyclers have worked with Goodpoint Recycling of Middlebury as a primary recyler to begin the process of collection. The program will offer free collection of computers, monitors, printers and computer peripherals from residents, non-profit organizations, school districts, and small businesses with 10 or fewer employees at year-round collection sites statewide.
NRRA and its partners were selected from a competitive RFP process in late April based on their ability to provide oversight and transparency to a very detailed tracking process required by State law. The Program is reimbursed by manufacturers of covered electronics.

The chief executives of Vermont’s leading businesses appear poised to hold steady their growth plans through the remainder of 2011, with sales and employment expectations less optimistic when compared against the first quarter survey period. The survey was completed between June 10 and June 24 and released today by Vermont Business Roundtable Chair Steve Voigt, CEO, King Arthur Flour and President Lisa Ventriss.

Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Robert Ide announced today that the Department will be moving its Chittenden County office from its current Burlington, North Avenue location to 4 Market St. in South Burlington.
The move will occur over the weekend of July 15-17 and will require the DMV to close the North Avenue office at noon on Friday, July 15th. The new office in South Burlington will open for business at noon, Monday July 18th.
‘We pride ourselves on the quality service we provide to Vermonters. However, in order to ensure a successful move, with all the logistics involved, it is necessary to close our Chittenden County operation from noon Friday until noon on Monday.’ Commissioner Ide said.

The Circumferential Highway experienced a small victory recently when it came to light that the Federal Highway Administration had issued an ROD or Record of Decision, giving the good-to-go on the current design and location of the proposed highway. This thumbs-up to the Vermont Agency of Transportation, however, is far from a green light on the actual construction of the highway, which still faces an "end of road, turn back" sign from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The giant undertaking of connecting Interstate-89 in Williston with 117 and 289 in Essex has been riddled with problems since planning began in the early 1980s and the original layout for the road was declared dead by Governor Shumlin at a press conference in May of this year. The new proposal, known as Alternative 17 or what was previously referred to as the Circumferential A/B Boulevard, is not expected to be any less divisive.

One message that state and federal officials want to share with those affected by the flood is to fill out and return your U.S. Small Business Administration application - don't throw it away.
Applicants who register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency typically receive a loan application from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Many think that these are for businesses or people who want to take out loans and push these applications to the side or patently discard them.
"This is where people take themselves out of the process," said Vermont Emergency Management Director Mike O'Neil. "If they don't complete the paperwork, they miss out on FEMA aid beyond help with home repair or rental assistance."
Applicants should know:
· Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair/replace real estate.

The Value Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG) is a program in the 2008 Farm Bill. VAPG’s goal is to help new and existing rural independent agricultural producers. Grants are made to enable viable agricultural producers (those who are prepared to progress to the next business level of planning for, or engaging in value-added production) to develop businesses that product and market value added agricultural products. There are two types of grants available, Planning and Working Capital. The deadline is August 29.
Planning Grants assist agricultural producers to determine the viability of a potential value-added venture, and specifically for the purpose of paying for a qualified consultant to conduct and develop a feasibility study, business plan, and/or marketing plan and market survey associated with the processing and/or marketing of a value-added agricultural product.

Vermont Public Television covered the visit by First Lady Michelle Obama to the Vermont National Guard on Thursday afternoon, June 30, and has posted video of it on http://www.vpt.org/.
The 24-minute video includes a welcome from Major General Michael Dubie, who introduced Marcelle Leahy. Mrs. Leahy introduced the First Lady, who thanked the service members and their families gathered at the Aviation Support Facility in South Burlington. She praised the work of Guard members at home and overseas.
At the event, she also talked about the Joining Forces initiative to support military families and veterans that she and Jill Biden lead. She highlighted efforts of Vermonters to support the troops and their families, including the work of people in Hyde Park, to help a wounded veteran. She encouraged others to volunteer, saying, ‘No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.’