Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont set a record for the fourth consecutive year in total external support for its rapidly growing research enterprise, inspiring discovery, innovation, and creativity across its full scope of scholarly disciplines. Research at UVM funded by federal and state agencies, corporate partners, foundations, and individual donors reached nearly $263 million in the fiscal year ending June 20, 2023 – only the second time the figure has soared above a quarter-billion dollars. 

Vermont Business Magazine Casella Waste Systems, Inc (Nasdaq: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management services company, announced that it completed the acquisition of the collection, transfer, and recycling assets of Consolidated Waste Services, LLC and its affiliates (dba “Twin Bridges”) on September 1, 2023. The purchase price of the acquisition was approximately $219 million and was funded through proceeds from the Company’s equity offering completed on June 16, 2023. The acquisition includes two hauling operations, one transfer station, and one material recovery facility in the greater Albany, New York market, and is expected to generate total annualized revenues of approximately $70 million.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and VEIC have released a report on Vermont’s Electric School and Transit Bus Pilot Program. As a part of this pilot, three schools and one transit agency replaced a total of eight diesel-powered buses with electric buses, yielding significant cost savings and reductions in harmful air pollution, including nitrogen oxides (NOx) and greenhouse gases compared to conventional buses. The pilot was funded with $4 million of Vermont’s $18.7 million allocation of the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust fund. The settlement fund was created with the goal of achieving reductions in NOx emissions after VW violated the federal Clean Air Act.

Vermont Business Magazine US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has approved Governor Phil Scott’s request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation in response to July’s historic flooding, which impacted thousands of acres of Vermont farmland. This comes on the heels of a widespread frost event in May, and is the second disaster declaration, emphasizing the difficult growing season that Vermont’s farmers have faced this year. This Secretarial disaster designation from USDA makes farm operators across Vermont eligible to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.

Agency of Commerce and Community Development The SBA is extending its deadline for Physical Damage loan applications to October 12, 2023. That’s a one-month extension. This is for businesses that suffered physical damages in Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor Counties.  Damages must have occurred between July 7 and July 17. Disaster survivors with insurance should not wait for their settlement before applying for an SBA loan. Learn more online or visit one of Vermont's three SBA Disaster Recovery Centers. FEMA is also extending its deadline until October 12. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont has announced that their Translational Global Infectious Disease Research Center (TGIR), Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) has received Phase II funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH). This award provides an additional five years of further funding for this successful research program, which began in 2018. The $11.5 million award supports the research career development and research projects of a growing cohort of junior faculty focused on globally important infectious diseases impacting human health. These faculty receive mentoring, academic support to develop their research expertise, and skill development to advance their research careers. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Natural Resources announced today that approximately $10 million in funding is available to help manufactured housing communities in Vermont address water infrastructure issues. This is the second round of funding allocated by the State using American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding. Communities are invited to apply by October 17, 2023. Examples of eligible activities include assessing communities’ water infrastructure needs, designing and permitting projects to address these necessities, connecting to municipal water or wastewater, retrofitting stormwater practices, installing drinking water or wastewater projects, and more.

Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has officially announced the Vermont Pitch Challenge, a new entrepreneurial-focused competition that gives high school students from across the world in grades 10-12 a chance to pitch innovative and impactful business plans – all while competing for individual cash prizes and full tuition scholarships to UVM, valued at up to $180,000. The new program is free to enter and offers young students a unique opportunity to learn from UVM faculty and alumni as well as top entrepreneurial experts about how to write a business plan, create a compelling pitch, and achieve their ultimate career goals.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont have fallen 2 cents to $3.79 per gallon from last week's $3.81/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.55/g while the highest was $3.90/g, a difference of 35.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 1.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.77/g today.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) is now accepting grant applications for the SFY 2024 Municipal Park-and-Ride Grant Program, which provides funding for improvements of small park-and-ride facilities in Vermont communities. These facilities will assist in the effort of reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles on the roadway, which in turn helps to reduce vehicle pollutants and traffic congestion.  

Vermont Business Magazine FEMA's Montpelier Disaster Recovery Center will close permanently at 6 pm, Wednesday, September 6, 2023. The center is currently open 8 am to 6 pm at this location: Vermont College of Fine Arts, 36 College St. Other recovery centers remain open Monday through Saturday.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported August 30, 2023, that COVID-19 hospitalizations edged down to a statewide total of 27, down from 31 last week, they were 25 before that and 7 three weeks ago. Cases and hospitalizations have risen over the summer. However, COVID-19 activity remains in the "Low" range, according to the VDH. Reported cases last week were 162, down from 219 last week, they were 165 before that and 112 three weeks ago. The CDC has stated that a new booster will be available this fall and that an estimated 97% of Americans have some level of immunity, from either vaccination or infection or both, which they said will help keep down new transmission and lessen serious outcomes. There was 1 COVID-related death reported last week.