Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Want to help create the housing Vermont urgently needs? In response to the state’s housing crisis, the Land Access and Opportunity Board (LAOB) is excited to announce the launch of its Small-Scale Developer Community of Practice and No-Cost Technical Assistance program for new Vermont housing developers. Through a partnership with HELM Construction Solutions, LAOB provides technical support, peer connections, and networking to empower beginning developers to carry their ideas from concept to completion. The Small-Scale Developer Community of Practice brings developers together through online and in-person discussions, expert-led workshops, and opportunities to exchange practical insights.

by Christina Davenport, UVM Students at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business will benefit from expanded professional and career development opportunities thanks to a $1 million gift from the Hoffman Family, owners of Burlington Subaru and Burlington Hyundai. The investment will enhance the school’s Center for Student Success, strengthening academic and career advising, leadership training, career pathways, internships, and professional networks that prepare students to thrive after graduation.  In recognition of their generosity, the center was formally dedicated as the Hoffman Family Center for Student Success during a ceremony held on April 8, 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) today announced the recipients of more than $6 million in federal funds for municipal grant projects through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Municipal Highways and Stormwater Mitigation Program (MHSMP). “These projects have significant value for our transportation networks and our communities,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “Improvements to sidewalks, bike paths, and shared-use paths provide people more transportation options and improve their quality of life.”

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced his appointment of Republican David Soucy of Barre Town to fill the vacant Washington-Orange seat in the House of Representatives. “Dave has been involved in his community for many years and will be a strong voice for common-sense legislation in the State House,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I also want to thank Topper McFaun for all he’s done throughout the years to make Vermont a better place for his constituents.” “I am honored to be appointed by Governor Scott to represent the residents of Washington County–Orange in the Vermont House of Representatives. I am also honored to follow in the footsteps of Representative Topper McFaun. Topper is a true public servant who always put the interests of his constituents—and all Vermonters—first.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $4.12 per gallon, up 13 cents per gallon from last week, up 76 cents/g from last month and up 99 cents/g from a year ago, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $3.73/g while the highest was $4.39/g, a difference of 66.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.16/g today. A truce in the war in Iran on Tuesday led to oil prices falling, but tensions increased since then causing oil prices to rise. Gas is at its highest prices point in Vermont and the US since August 2022.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Vermont’s Trout Season opens April 11. Despite lingering snow cover in some areas of the state, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says anglers can still have fun and be successful early in the season if they keep a few strategies in mind.

VermontBiz Stowe Electric Department (SED) has earned a Gold Level Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3®) designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service.

The RP3 designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Criteria include sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont (UVM) is taking a new step in its long-standing commitment to sustainable agriculture and community engagement with the launch of a fully online Master of Science in Agroecology, beginning in Fall 2026, the first of its kind in the United States. Agroecology is a way of understanding and designing food systems using social, ecological, and political principles to regenerate nature and create a more just society. It is rooted in indigenous practices and ancestral knowledge, which are combined with scientific knowledge to address the current food crisis. Agroecology is not only about changing farming techniques, but is also about transforming policy, science, cultures, and economies to bring about more just food systems.

VermontBiz The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is inviting people to join them on one of their annual Waterway Work Trips this upcoming stewardship season. 

During the work trips, volunteers join one of Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s stewardship crews for a weekend camping trip. Trips begin Friday evening - except those in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway - and wrap up after lunch on Sunday. 

There are 10 projects spanning from Forked Lake in the Adirondacks to Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine. Projects focus on campsite, portages, privies, access points, and other infrastructure used by paddlers. 

VermontBiz It's finally spring and Vermonters are not only getting outside to appreciate the warmer weather, they are also making plans for next winter's firewood supply. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has a few tips on how to properly dry or season firewood to reduce costs, smoke, and fuel use.

“Unlike wet wood, seasoned wood burns hotter and cleaner and does not create as much smoke,” said DEC Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “With this in mind, it is important to properly split, stack, cover, and season firewood before burning. Taking these steps not only saves you money and energy, but it also protects your home, health, and the air we breathe.”

VermontBiz This summer, the Vermont Lakes and Ponds Program is seeking volunteers to help monitor and collect information about lakes and ponds in the state. Volunteers can be found statewide greeting lake visitors, inspecting boats, collecting water samples, tracking algal or cyanobacteria blooms, reporting aquatic introduced invasive species, and more.

“With over 800 lakes and ponds to monitor across Vermont, volunteers are critical to the success of our department’s efforts,” said Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “Thanks to their commitment and hard work, volunteers help our scientists better understand and protect the health of these remarkable natural resources. 

Vermont Business Magazine Why Do Trees Fall in the Forest? The Answer is Changing. New research suggests that in just 15 years, the causes of most tree loss have flipped from human hands to a handful of natural causes. That’s what University of Vermont researchers found when they studied forests in 18 states: in 2009, human harvesting accounted for most tree loss, but by 2024, pests, diseases, and other “natural” causes activities were causing far more tree loss. The researchers dug in, comparing nearly 324,000 records of tree mortality across 18 states and almost 62,000,000 hectares, from the federal Forest Inventory and Analysis dataset from 2009 to 2024. In 2009, human harvesting caused a bit more tree loss than natural causes. Fifteen years later, tree loss from natural causes was outpacing harvest-caused loss by nearly 40%, and overall tree loss also increased by nearly 16% during this period.