Current News
by tim
Unlike last year when Vermont Governor Jim Douglas vetoed the budget the Legislature handed him, only to have lawmakers override his veto in a special session in June, the 2011 $4.7 billion budget was signed by the governor in May, with praise coming from him and his former antagonists.
“The economic upheaval Vermonters have experienced has contributed to serious troubles in our state’s fiscal situation. But despite these challenges, we can feel good about the work done here, under the Golden Dome, in 2010,” Douglas said in his adjournment address. “While other states are cutting programs and raising taxes in response to the fiscal crisis, Vermont, I am proud to say, is moving in a different direction. We are looking toward the future and striving for economic success.”
by tim
The Windsor County Superior Court has held John Hennessey of Chester, Vermont, liable for $10,000 in civil penalties for operating a junkyard without a license and violating the state’s Solid Waste Management Rules and Hazardous Waste Management Regulations.
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office requested penalties for these violations as part of an environmental enforcement action against Hennessey. The Court issued a judgment order following a hearing.
“Salvage yard operators must comply with state laws governing salvage operations, including the state’s environmental rules for handling wastes and hazardous materials,” said Attorney General William H. Sorrell. “Those who do not, especially those who do not correct violations of these requirements promptly, will face penalties,” he added.
by tim
Vermont Attorney General William H Sorrell is warning local homeowners in financial distress to avoid offers of quick fixes for their mortgage or foreclosure problems. A series of recent consumer complaints to his office have focused attention on out-of-state companies, many of them in California, promising to “reduce your mortgage,” “lower your monthly house payments,” “get past due payments eliminated,” “stop foreclosure,” and similar claims.
In fact, these “foreclosure rescue scams” have collected amounts from consumers in the $1,000-to-$2,500 range but have done nothing to assist homeowners. To make matters worse, it has generally been difficult to recover consumers’ funds, because the companies are often out of business by the time the investigation is begun.
by tim
Early this morning (May 24, 2010), Vermont Yankee control room operators brought the 650 megawatt nuclear power plant back into service. There was a delay early Sunday morning while reconnecting to the New England power grid when operators noticed that generator readings were different than expected and disconnected from the grid. Plant engineers and technicians traced the problem to an indication circuit in the control room. Once a series of power ascension tests are complete and the output returned to full power, it will bring to a close the plant s 28th refueling and maintenance outage. The outage, which began on April 24th, was based on 18 months of planning and involved more than 6,000 separate tasks including refueling the reactor as well as testing and inspection on virtually every major system in the plant.
by tim
Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 3.6 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.86/g yesterday. This compares with the national average that has fallen 6.8 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.80/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Vermont during the past week, prices yesterday were 51.7 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 2.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 6.3 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 39.8 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.
Source: www.VermontGasPrices.com. Vermont, VT, May 24, 2010
by tim
It was announced today that Simon Pearce, Vermont Flannel and Vermont Teddy Bear are among the Made in the USA Foundation's inaugural recipients of its Hall of Fame Awards. Awards are presented to companies whose ongoing commitment to manufacturing goods in the United States reflects their support of creating local jobs and upholding fair trade standards throughout the world.
"The Foundation is proud to announce the creation of the Made in the USA Hall of Fame," says Foundation Chairman Joel D.Joseph. "We have
considered hundreds of worthy nominees, but have selected only 20 based on the following criteria:
Companies that have remained steadfast and refused to outsource;
Companies that have strived to export;
Companies that have continued to improve quality.
by tim
The owners of the Gracey's Store gas station and convenience store on Williston Road in South Burlington, Slimain Handy's Convenience Stores, will pay a $35,000 penalty to the State as a result of a gasoline leak from an underground storage tank that contaminated the soil and groundwater at the station. "We take the enforcement of our environmental laws seriously, particularly when it involves a release of a hazardous substance like gasoline", Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell said. "Because even a small amount of gasoline can cause serious environmental harm, owners of underground storage tanks must be vigilant in monitoring their tanks", Sorrell added.
Under the court approved settlement, Slimain Handy's Convenience Stores will pay the State $35,000 stemming from the release of gasoline from the store's underground storage tanks in October 2006. The leak contaminated the soil and groundwater at the corner of Williston and Hinesburg Roads.
by tim
A May 14, 2010 radiochemical analysis of soil samples taken on March 17 from the Advanced Off-Gas (AOG) pipe tunnel excavation shows the presence of strontium-90 (Sr-90). Vermont Yankee shared these results with the Vermont Department of Health on May 20.
Sr-90 is a metal by-product of the fission of uranium in nuclear reactors, and is found in waste from nuclear reactors. The finding of Sr-90 in this area may be the result of fuel failures that occurred at Vermont Yankee in the 1970s.
by tim
In light of a favorable weather forecast for Sunday, May 23, the University of Vermont's 206th commencement ceremony will take place on the University Green. The location is the University Green located between University Row and South Prospect Streets. Although the likelihood of precipitation is low according to the latest reports, Vermont weather in May means that showers are always a possibility; guests are encouraged to come prepared for rain or shine. See the 2010 Commencement Website for more information about the day: http://www.uvm.edu/commencement
Source: UVM. 5.21.2010
by tim
The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April 2010 was 6.4 percent, down two tenths from the revised March rate and down eight tenths from a year ago.
by tim
Green Mountain Power, owner of the only operating wind generation farm in Vermont, filed today with state regulators for permission to build a second wind generating plant, up to 63 megawatts, in Lowell, Vermont. The $150 million investment in the Northeast Kingdom will provide jobs and significant economic benefits, in addition to increasing the state's renewable energy generation.
This is the most significant renewable energy project proposed in Vermont since the 50 MW McNeil wood generating plant was built in the 1980s. Green Mountain Power, Vermont Electric Cooperative and VELCO are working together on the project to provide customers of the two distribution utilities stably priced, renewable energy.
by tim
The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles announced today that DMV Express, Vermont’s online vehicle registration renewal service, recently exceeded 500,000 vehicle registration renewals processed over the Web.
"With more than a half million renewals online, and almost 100,000 more processed through IVR (phone) and kiosks, we have made great strides in providing Vermont drivers with alternative ways to renew their vehicles - whether, cars, boats, or snowmobiles,” said Robert Ide, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles.