Current News

The Jay Peak ski resort has been ordered to restore wetlands and streams that were harmed when the resort discharged dredged and fill material into the waters during construction of its golf course in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. Jay Peak has agreed to the terms of EPA’s order and recently completed all restoration work prior to the order’s October 2010 deadline.
The US Environmental Protection Agency last month ordered Jay Peak Resort, Inc to repair the damage done between 2004 and 2006 when it was building its golf course and discharged material without a required permit. According to EPA,the construction company working for Jay Peak Resort placed dirt, sand and rocks into numerous wetlands and streams, affecting a total of 2.15 acres.
This case was brought to the attention of EPA by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the spring of 2008. Since then, the Corps and EPA have worked together in pursuing this case.

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, representing investors of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc, has filed a class action lawsuit in United States District Court on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased the securities of Green Mountain between July 28, 2010 and September 29, 2010, inclusive. The class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. The firm had previously indicated it was investigating whether it would take such action.

Draker Laboratories, a provider of turnkey monitoring systems for commercial photovoltaic (PV) systems in Burlington, has been selected by Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. (OTCBB:PPRW), a global leader in the development, design, engineering, and construction of solar power systems for commercial, government, and utility markets in the United States and Europe, to monitor energy production at several PV facilities the company is developing. One example of Draker and Premier Power working together is on a 2 megawatt (MW) warehouse and distribution facility project in Torrance and Carson, CA, where Draker will supply data acquisition and monitoring equipment for the solar electric generating project Premier designed and is constructing.

Last Friday, October 8, Vermont Yankee announced that a water sample from rock fissures beneath the plant tested positive for tritium at an amount of 1,040 picocuries per liter. A statement issued by a representative of the Vernon nuclear power plant said that this amount of tritium is significantly below the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s required level to report tritium findings (which is 30,000 picocuries per liter) and significantly below the US Environmental Protection Agency’s standard for permissible levels of tritium in drinking water (20,000 picocuries per liter). The rock fissures from which the sample was taken fed a former industrial drinking water well that previously served the plant’s Construction Office Building, known as the COB well. This well was retired earlier this year (March) as a conservative precaution shortly after the tritium leak from the plant was discovered.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is scheduled to release its winter fuel outlook in Washington, DC, on October 13, 2010.While the EIA's survey provides an overview for the country, it does not provide specific details of what’s happening in Vermont. For instance, the last EIA update in July suggested that oil would be over $3 a gallon heading into winter, which is not the case. The most recent survey from the Vermont Department of Public Service finds that fuel oil is averaging $2.70 a gallon, which on a BTU basis is price comparable to natural gas and wood pellets. Electric heat, on the other hand, costs nearly twice as much as oil heat, according to the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association.

Based on analysis by e-forecasting.com, US monthly GDP estimates, it appears that the third quarter shows a strong slowdown in growth down to just 1 percent, after an increase of 1.7 percent in the second quarter.
US growth continues to slow and e-forecasting.com will issue its monthly global leading indicators report later this week. Movement in these leading indicators occurs about five to six months before economic activity. We'll be releasing our monthly global leading indicators report later this week.

US Monthly GDP

Green Mountain Power has been named a finalist in the Platts 2010 Global Energy Awards. The competition is intended to honor and recognize those that have transcended the status quo in the name of excellence in leadership, innovation and performance. Green Mountain Power has been recognized in the "Green Energy Initiative" category.
"We are honored to receive this recognition," says Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power. "Green Mountain Power is committed to an energy vision that builds environmental and economic value for our customers, while helping to create a clean energy economy that combats climate change and creates green jobs in Vermont. This nomination recognizes some of the steps we have taken to build utility-owned renewable generation projects and to promote customer-owned solar."

Entergy Vermont Yankee officials notified the Department of Health on Friday that a positive tritium sample from the Construction Office Building well. This well had been used in the past for drinking water, but it was taken out of service in March 2010 and is not being used for drinking water. The sample measured at a tritium concentration of 1,040 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). While this is far below the drinking water limit of 20,000 pCi/L, the impact this find has on the future of the plant and the governor's race could be profound. Already Republican Brian Dubie, a staunch supporter of the plant in the past, has backed off that support, and his opponent, Peter Shumlin, who has been one of the strongest opponents against extending the plant's license, has said this is one more indicator that the plant should be shut down. The nuclear power plant's license expires in 2012.

Lung specialists face numerous challenges in conjunction with treating patients with end-stage lung disease, many of whose only hope is lung transplantation, a solution saddled with risks, including a high rate of rejection. Thanks to a late-arriving, $4.26 million Recovery Act grant – part of the limited National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Opportunity for Research funding competition – University of Vermont (UVM) physician-scientist Daniel Weiss, MD, PhD, and colleagues will be able to vigorously examine a novel approach to growing new lungs for patients lacking other treatment options.

Green Mountain Vista Inc of Williston has added its name to the manufacturers and retailers joining the voluntary recall announced in December 2009 of ALL Roman shades and roll-up blinds.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the Green Mountain Vista, announced the voluntary recall of the Roman shades. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Roman shades
Units: About 200,000
Manufacturer: Green Mountain Vista, Inc. of Williston, Vt.
Hazard: Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the shade or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

On the heels of completing final approvals of loans to nearly 2,000 firms that has been in its loan queue waiting for final approval of the Small Business Jobs Act, the US Small Business Administration has finished implementation of another major element of the bill: increasing maximum sizes in several of its loan programs.
The changes – effective today – are permanent for general small business loans under SBA’s 7(a) guaranteed loan program, fixed asset loans through the 504 Certified Development Company program, Microloans, and International Trade, Export Working Capital and Export Express loans. A temporary increase for SBA Express loans is good for one year.

Community health centers at Springfield, Plainfield and Richford were awarded $4.3 million in the first round of grants under a new health care law, the Vermont congressional delegation announced today.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) fought for $11 billion in The Affordable Care Act to expand health centers and double to 40 million the number of patients served nationwide over the next five years.
‘A week after breaking ground on the new health center in Burlington, it is extremely exciting to see expansion projects approved for Springfield, Richford and Plainfield,’ Sanders said. ‘This will create jobs in the short term, but most importantly it will improve access to affordable primary health care, dental care and low-cost prescription drugs.’