Current News
by tim
Governor Jim Douglas today announced that Vermont will receive more than $20 million in economic recovery funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency to create jobs through water infrastructure and air quality projects.
These stimulus funds will put local contractors and engineers to work as we plan and build out the projects, the Governor said. There is a tremendous need for these economic recovery funds. We ve identified $380 million in drinking and clean water projects in Vermont.
More than $1.7 million will go to clean diesel projects, said Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator of EPA in New England.
Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country today, Leighton said. New England has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation.
Another $19.5 million is pledged to improve aging water infrastructure and protect human health and the environment for Vermonters.
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Passengers on the Amtrak Vermonter can take advantage of a reduced ticket price and a variety of lodging specials when traveling between any two Vermont stops on the train s daily route.
Amtrak and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing are offering Downtowns by Rail, which includes a special passenger rate of $12 on the Amtrak Vermonter. In addition, 15 lodging properties in communities along the route have put together special packages to encourage overnight and multiday stays in Vermont s historic downtowns.
The Downtowns by Rail program combines green travel with sustainable communities, said Tourism and Marketing Commissioner Bruce Hyde. Vermont s downtowns are home to unique local businesses, historic architecture, as well as rich cultural and social activities. Promoting Amtrak with our revitalized downtowns is a natural fit.
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In its March 2, 2009 issue, BusinessWeek, using data from market researcher J. D. Power & Associates and the magazine itself, named KeyBank #11 and the top-named bank on its list of top 25 Customer Service Champs. In receiving this award, KeyBank joins a group of companies known for excellence in customer service, including Amazon.com, Lexus, Apple, LL Bean, JetBlue and Nordstrom.
We re delighted to receive this award from BusinessWeek, said Scott Carpenter, Vermont District President, KeyBank, because it says that our continual efforts to strengthen customer service are working. It s a testament to our excellent employees and their commitment to the communities they serve.
by tim
Secretary of Administration Neale F Lunderville announced today that Vermont s General and Education Funds were above target and the Transportation Fund was below target for the March. General Fund revenues exceeded target for the month as compared to the consensus revenue target revised in mid-January. The General Fund revenues of $69.91 million for the month of March 2009 were +$7.75 million or +12.47% above the $62.16 million consensus revenue forecast for the month. Year-to-date, General Fund revenues of $805.14 million remain below the forecast by -$3.38 million or -0.42% for FY 2009.
by tim
It just got a little cheaper for Green Mountain Power customers to support new renewable energy. The Vermont Public Service Board approved GMP's request to lower the premium its customers voluntarily pay to support the development of renewable energy in Vermont. Under the GreenerGMP program, customers can now opt to pay three cents per kilowatt hour more than their normal rate to support renewable energy projects. The fee had been four cents per kWh.
"Our GreenerGMP program gives our customers
the opportunity to support Vermont renewable energy projects. By lowering the cost, we hope that more customers will be able to participate," said GMP president and chief executive officer Mary Powell.
Funds generated by GreenerGMP are used to support the methane gas project at the Moretown Landfill and biomass at the McNeil plant. In addition, beginning this spring, funds will support a farm-based methane digester in Westminster, Vermont.
by tim
Contrary to its motto - 'Freedom and Unity' - the state of Vermont is one step closer to tightening its current smoking ban by prohibiting the use of tobacco and other smoking products in all workplaces throughout the state.
The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association says the freedom of all Vermont citizens - smokers and non-smokers alike - is at stake and state legislators should be spending their time on issues that truly matter - like jobs and the economy.
"The United States Constitution gives the right to employers to decide how to conduct their businesses, and that includes whether or not to allow smoking on their premises. The state of Vermont preempted that right by legislating a smoking ban in 1987 and would be adding insult to injury now by tightening those decades-old restrictions," said Chris McCalla, legislative director of the IPCPR.
by tim
The House vote overriding the governor s veto on same-sex marriage provided a stunning example of how much the debate on the subject has changed in the past nine years. To have 100 representatives vote to override is a remarkable demonstration of the sea change that has taken place.
The adoption of the marriage equality act this year also serves as an example of the wisdom of the Supreme Court in 1999: They had a pretty good feel for the shape of the political landscape a decade ago.
In 1999, when the Supreme Court was asked to declare gay marriage legal, four of the five justices held back, even though they appeared to believe it should be.
The fifth Justice Denise Johnson basically called her colleagues cowards, writing that their decision abdicates this Court s constitutional duty to redress violations of constitutional rights. Johnson wanted to grant gays and lesbians the right to marry immediately.
by tim
Senator Shumlin today announced the development of a state of the art health care billing system. The system will include health care insurance cards, a health care payment card and an established network where providers and payers can connect via a central hub. This new structure will fix our broken and confusing collections system by
improving efficiency and saving Vermonters money.
We have the opportunity to lead the nation by becoming the first state to implement an efficient and effective health care billing system, said Senator Peter Shumlin. Vermont has led the nation in health care reform and can continue to lead with the implementation of a health care billing system that will save Vermonters hundreds of millions of dollars.
by tim
Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch announced Thursday the release of $24 million in federal stimulus funds to Vermont.
The five grants were authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Obama signed into law on February 17. Vermont is expected to receive more than $700 million from the ARRA.
The grants announced this week support a variety of programs, including support for food pantries and shelters, child care, vaccines for children, drinking water improvements and pollution cleanup efforts.
Vermont received the following:
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Vermont Public Radio has been honored with the top regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in broadcast journalism. VPR was honored in nine different categories, the most the station has ever received.
The Overall Excellence award was based on VPR News body of work during 2008. The entry included a sampler of the year in news and feature coverage, from election night coverage to Those CCC Boys, a documentary on the Civilian Conservation Corps in Vermont. The entry also included the live broadcast of Vermont Edition from the Tunbridge Fair, Philip Baruth s commentary on Vermont s fertility rate, and VPR s Northeast Kingdom farm family series, among others.
The award was one of nine that VPR received in the competition, which is sponsored by the Radio and Television News Directors Association. VPR was also honored in the following categories:
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Rutland, VT--The public is invited to review and provide input on Vermont Electric Power Company s (VELCO) 2009 Vermont Long Range Transmission Plan Public Review Draft at a series of public forums around Vermont.
The forums, hosted by VELCO and convened by the Snelling Center for Government, will include an overview of the plan, information kiosks on key issues, facilitated discussions, and the opportunity to meet with VELCO staff and representatives of local electric distribution utilities. Refreshments will be served. Sign language interpretation will be provided if requested at least one week prior to the event, by contacting: [email protected].
The public forums are scheduled as follows:
Monday, April 27 at 5:30
Holiday Inn, Rutland
Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 pm
Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee
Tuesday, May 5 at 5:30 pm
Sheraton Hotel, Burlington
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The Board of Directors of the High Meadows Fund has named Gaye Symington as its Executive Director. The Fund, a supporting foundation of the Vermont Community Foundation, has awarded grants since 2004 to improve the lives of Vermonters through a better environment. Its grantmaking aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, encourage renewable energy development, and promote sustainable agriculture and land use practices in Vermont.
Symington s twenty years of leadership in energy and rural economic development policy will bring new knowledge and experience to the High Meadows Fund s evolving work. President of the Fund Carl Ferenbach said, We were in search of a leader who is passionate about addressing the environmental challenges we all confront and for whom the specialness of Vermont is second nature. We wanted a person who would be capable of leading Vermont toward solutions, and we are pleased to say that Gaye Symington is that person.