Current News

Wetlands nature s water filters will be better protected in Vermont under legislation that was enacted into law yesterday. The bill, H447, was the result of lengthy negotiations among a variety of interest groups. The measure will require inaccurate state wetlands maps to be updated and also mandate better protections for wetlands.
This legislation shows what Vermonters with widely divergent interests can accomplish when they sit down and focus on what s good for Vermont s natural resources over the long haul, said Kim Greenwood, staff scientist for the Vermont Natural Resources Council. All parties here have made compromises for the greater good of improving the regulation of our wetlands, she said.

Speaker Shap Smith today announced that he and Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin have asked money committees and chairs to hold public hearings next week on the Governor Douglas newly submitted budget. They have also asked that Douglas' proposals, announced Tuesday, be submitted in budget form. The governor's proposal cuts about $42 million from the $4.5 billion budget the Legislature passed two weeks ago.
I appreciate that the Governor has returned to the negotiating table with a written proposal, said Speaker Smith. Senator Shumlin and I intend to give the Governor s newly presented budget due diligence, which is why we have asked committees to convene public hearings next week to understand the impact of Governor Douglas proposal on Vermonters.

Champlain Cable Corporation of Colchester, Vermont announces the release of its newest product line, EXAR(R) XLE. XLE product technology combines flexibility of an elastomer and the toughness of an XLPE insulation.
It is important to note that, according to a recent news release issued on the DuPont Performance Elastomers website, Hypalon(R) will "cease production" and "exit the business." XLE fills this void and is technically superior to Hypalon(R) in most wire and cable applications.
EXAR XLE is approved by UL and CUL for 1000 volts and 105 degrees Celsius ratings per UL style sheet 3657. XLE is also successfully used in 150 degrees Celsius automotive applications per ISO 6722. UL has also approved XLE for multi conductor cables and has designated UL Style 21614 as a 105 degrees Celsius 1000 volt rated cable.

Governor Jim Douglas today reaffirmed Vermont s role as a leading voice on national climate policy and a champion of energy consumers by signing on to the newly formed 30-state Governors Climate Coalition, which will work with Congress to find common ground for a comprehensive national energy strategy and climate change action.
The Governor, who takes over chairmanship of the National Governors Association in July, praised the gamut of states from across that country who signed on to the Coalition.
These states have been leaders on the green front promoting renewable and clean energy, creating jobs and taking concrete steps to address climate change, the Governor said. The Governors Climate Coalition is in an important position to assist the federal government as it builds out a national energy policy that creates jobs and protects consumers and the environment.

iTECH has announced that CEO Kishore Khandavalli is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 Award for New England. The Ernst & Young the awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Kishore Khandavalli was selected as a finalist from hundreds of nominations by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 16th at the Marriott Newton Hotel in Boston. Khandavalli was profiled in the January 2007 issue of Vermont Business Magazine.

High school teams from throughout the state had their knowledge of economics and personal finance tested recently in the first-ever Vermont Championship Reserve Cup Challenge. After three rounds of vigorous questioning, Essex High School emerged as the champion. Second place was won by Windsor High School and the third place finisher was North Country Union High School.

The State Treasurer s Office, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, held the competition to select a state winner to represent Vermont this fall at the New England regional competition in Boston. The purpose of the competition is to promote student interest in and knowledge of personal finance, economics, and consumer affairs topics. For the past four years, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has sponsored a regional contest as part of its economic literacy program.

This year’s Deane C. Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award was presented to National Life Group of Montpelier. The award was handed out by Governor Jim Douglas at the Vermont Business & Industry EXPO, organized by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, May 20th.
In an effort to recognize and honor Vermont’s best companies, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, along with Vermont Business Magazine created the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award in 1990. Named for the former Governor of Vermont, this annual award honors a Vermont business that shows an outstanding history of sustained growth while displaying an acute awareness of what makes Vermont unique.

The Chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, Senator Susan Bartlett and Representative Martha Heath made the following statement today in response to the Governor s budget proposal:
We are pleased that the Administration finally put its proposal on the table but it is disappointing to see primarily recycled ideas.
After a cursory review of the proposal we have several significant concerns. First, the proposal would result in a monumental property tax increase. We are seriously concerned that their proposal to shift the teacher s retirement to the Education Fund would result in shifting the entire teacher s retirement liability, roughly $100 million, onto the property taxpayers. We do not believe that Vermonters can afford a property tax increase of this proportion.

Secretary of Administration Neale Lunderville today outlined the Governor Douglas s alternative budget approach for FY 2010. Lunderville called it a balanced, responsible and sustainable plan that addresses immediate fiscal pressures with long-term fiscal prudence. The Douglas plan reduces state spending by $32.8 million and raises $13 million in new taxes instead of $26 million. It also adds back $9 million in economic development and higher education-related spending. The administration maintains that its plan advances reforms necessary to tackle the Legislature's FY 2011 projected deficit of $67 million. The Douglas plan pays for an income tax cut by transferring the increase in the capital gains tax; and restores the sales tax holiday, which found favor with consumers but which was less popular with economists.

Governor Jim Douglas issued a statement yesterday regarding the Obama Administration s decision to adopt California standards nationally for automobile tailpipe emissions. Vermont was the first state to follow California's lead in requiring a higher standard than the federal requirement. The Bush Administration had blocked the implementation of the tougher standards resulting in California, Vermont and other states suing the federal government. The auto industry then filed suit in an attempt to block the implementation of the California standards.
I applaud the Obama Administration s clear-eyed decision to establish greenhouse gas standards for cars and light trucks based on California s strict tailpipe emissions standards.
As the first state to adopt California s greenhouse gas emissions standards and to successfully defend them against legal challenges by the automobile industry in federal court, Vermont helped to pave the way for this decision.

In Vermont yesterday, US Forest Service Chief Gail Kimbell announced the award of $50 million in grants, including $1.8 million for the Eden Forest in Vermont, to permanently protect twenty-four working forests across twenty-one states, through the Forest Legacy Program. This program permanently protects important private forestland threatened by conversion.
The Forest Legacy Program conserves open space which allows us to respond to climate change, improves water quality and flows and connects children to nature, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The strength of the Forest Legacy Program is the cooperation between States, partners and private landowners all working together to protect environmentally and economically important forests that are threatened by conversion.

Central Vermont Medical Center s Outpatient Anticoagulation Coumadin Clinic provides patients with a complete and organized approach to anticoagulation therapy, using established protocols. Protocols to manage therapy are followed by anticoagulation clinic nurses under the medical supervision of Dr. David Ospina. A comprehensive assessment by a registered nurse along with intervention and education provide patients the tools they need to have successful outcomes.
Physicians prescribe the anticoagulation medication coumadin to reduce the blood s tendency to form clots. It is important to regularly check the medication s effect to ensure that the patient s blood is not too thin or too thick. Therefore physicians will provide a referral to the clinic and set up a patient s first appointment.