Current News

May 6, 2008
CVPS: Finances, energy planning, reliability are top priorities
RUTLAND, VT. - Securing new energy sources, returning to investment grade and ensuring continued service quality and reliability will be the top priorities for Central Vermont Public Service (NYSE-CV) in 2008 and beyond, President Bob Young told shareholders at the company's annual meeting May 6, 2008.
"We're at a crossroads in planning Vermont's energy future," Young said. "That is the single greatest issue facing the company in the next five to six years."
Energy planning
Speaking from notes, Young said CVPS, state regulators and other utilities were working hard to obtain and weigh public input and examine potential energy sources in anticipation of the end of existing contracts that supply two-thirds of Vermont's electricity. Contracts with Hydro-Quebec and Vermont Yankee end between 2012 and 2016.

Douglas vetoes Yankee decommissioning fund bill
Governor Douglas, as expected, today (May 7, 2008) vetoed S373, "An act relating to full funding of decommissioning costs of a nuclear plant." The bill would have required the owners of the Entergy Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon to guarantee the full cost of decommissioning the plant at the time of its decommissioning.
The governor said forcing the owner to raise or guarantee such a fund would lead to the owner raising costs on future electricity contracts to Vermont utilities; those costs would then be passed on consumers and businesses. The plant currently is owned by Entergy Nuclear, but it wants to spin off some of its plants into their own holding company, including Vermont Yankee.

Madeleine May Kunin to Keynote
Vermont Law School Graduation Ceremony

Elizabeth Economy Will Address China's Environmental Crisis
During Commencement Week Activities

SOUTH ROYALTON, VT -- Madeleine May Kunin - known alternately as governor, ambassador, war refugee and author -- will be the featured speaker at Vermont Law School's 33rd commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17. The public is invited to attend the event, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. on the South Royalton town green.

Kunin's new book, "Pearls, Politics, & Power: How Women Can Win and Lead," has just been published by Chelsea Green. The book is described as "a call to political engagement" for the women of America.

May 6, 2008
I-89 Northbound at French Hill to be Reduced to One Lane

Statement from Speaker Symington and President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin on Governor Douglas' Veto of the Decommissioning Bill
By vetoing the decommissioning bill, S. 373, today, Governor Douglas chose to stand in the way of protecting Vermonters from the potential financial risk if the Entergy Corporation sells Vermont Yankee to a highly leveraged company. With this veto Governor Douglas showed clearly that his allegiance is to a multi-billion dollar out of state
corporation instead of to Vermonters.
When Entergy bought Vermont Yankee in 2002, they agreed to accept the responsibility for the decommissioning fund. They are now restructuring and transferring the plant to a below-investment grade corporate shell -
a move that will distance them from that responsibility.

May 5, 2008 - Stacey Steinmetz, Supreme Dreamer and Schemer at Magic Hat Brewing Company, received the Highest Achievement Award upon graduation from the Dale Carnegie Course. The class voted Steinmetz the recipient of this award for demonstrating professional development, outstanding presentation skills and interpersonal competence.

Dale Carnegie Training® offers public courses, seminars and workshops, as well as in-house customized training, and one-on-one coaching. For more information on what Dale Carnegie can do for you and your business, please visit www.vermont.dalecarnegie.com or call 800-639-1012.

JAMES
H. DOUGLAS
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GOVERNOR

State of
Vermont
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Governor Highlights Successes of Legislative
Session

For Immediate Release:
Saturday, May 3, 2008

Contact: Jason Gibbs
(802) 828-3333

Montpelier, Vt. -- In a brief adjournment address to the
Legislature today, Governor Jim Douglas highlighted the successes of the 2008
legislative session. The complete text of the Governor's address
follows.

###

JAMES H.
DOUGLAS

GOVERNOR

State of Vermont

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Governor’s Adjournment Address

Montpelier - May 1, 2008 The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has selected a proposal by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency to compete for up to $5 million in new funding to support state rental housing preservation efforts. The Vermont agencies would use the funding to restructure financing, increase energy efficiency, and provide support services to frail elders and formerly homeless individuals. The funds would be targeted to preserve more than 8,000 private and non-profit owned rental apartments in 123 towns over the next ten years.

BENNINGTON, VT BMA Architects & Planners is pleased to add state-of-the-art infrared thermographic analysis to its Building Evaluation and Forensic Services.

Dan Douglas of BMAs Bennington office became accredited as a Level 1 Thermographer this past winter. This, combined with his experience in the field, and the purchase of a hi-tech IR camera, makes BMA well equipped to effectively conduct building evaluations to identify moisture and thermal problems with building envelopes, as well as inspect electrical and mechanical systems without performing invasive and costly demolition.

BENNINGTON, VT BMA Architects & Planners is pleased to announce that Kirk Moore AIA, Principal Architect, has earned the United States Green Building Councils (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional certification.

Kirk will lead BMA in the design of sustainable, cost effective buildings for both new and adaptive reuse projects as more and more clients look to the firm for long-term solutions to reduce their buildings global impact and overall building costs.

BMA is committed to taking a socially and environmentally sound approach in its work. The firm is a corporate member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and has instituted a policy that all design staff in the company must have their LEED AP certification within twelve months of being employed.

West Rutland, May 2, 2008- NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, a non-profit housing organization, has designed a complete housing program model that will help small towns across Vermont develop quality affordable housing for working families.

The model, named Westmont, shows communities from start to finish how to go from simply talking about affordable housing through the process to actually develop, create, and construct affordable housing.
The basic design for as Westmont home is centered on functionality and energy efficiency, and was drafted by architect Dan Pratt of Robert Carl Williams Associates, in Pittsfield, Vermont.

Dans floor plan for the Westmont house maximized space and allowed for the expansion of bedrooms without increasing the size of the footprint of the house, said Gregg Over, construction manager at NWWVT. These are high quality homes.

Speaker Symington's Statement on Economic Stimulus Plan
May 1, 2008
Addressing the bipartisan Committee on Economic Recovery and Opportunity today, Speaker Gaye Symington delivered the following
statement:
"I would just like to begin by thanking you for your work. You've brought good thinking and good questions to this effort and have improved the material that has been put before us and I thank you for that.
"Your work has built upon what we have accomplished throughout the session, focusing on what is putting pressure on Vermonters: their health care costs, their fuel costs, their food costs, housing prices.
I am pleased that your recommendations fit into the work that is already in motion in the House.
"The legislature has been fighting for more bonding for roads and bridges and making our transportation infrastructure more whole -- and we got that.