Monthly Archives: August 2015

Standing at the intersection of State Drive and Main Street, Gov. Peter Shumlin today congratulated the community of Waterbury on the opening of South Main Apartments and beginning construction of the Hunger Mountain Children’s Center. At the conclusion of the event, he handed keys to a family moving into one of the new affordable homes. The projects each were supported by $1 million grants of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Vermont Fish & Wildlife has received a $330,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to purchase 459 acres of property that serves as habitat for the federally endangered Northeastern bulrush. The land to be purchased extends the Turner Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA), which represents one of only four publically owned locations of the bulrush in the state.

As administrator of the Housing Tax Credit program, VHFA allocates credits to specific projects in accordance with Vermont's Qualified Allocation Plan, which is approved and signed by the Governor. The advisory Joint Committee on Tax Credits reviews and adopts allocation policies and reviews VHFA's performance.

The Vermont Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will convene a public meeting to examine the persistence of housing discrimination in Vermont.  The meeting will be held in the Vermont State House, Room 11, 115 State Street, Montpelier

Earlier today the White House announced that the City of Burlington has been awarded a $50,000 prize from the Small Business Administration's Startup in a Day initiative. Startup in a Day, announced by President Obama earlier this year, is a program designed to help cities and Native American communities streamline licensing, permitting, and other requirements needed to start a business in their areas, with the goal that an entrepreneur may apply for all necessary components within one business day.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon, and the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) today announced a loan program to assist Vermont owners of rental housing properties damaged by the July 2015 flooding that affected Barre, Plainfield, and surrounding areas. While businesses and homeowners have access to flood assistance programs, non-occupier owners of rental properties fall through a gap. The program announced today is designed to give those individuals assistance as they work to rebuild from the flooding.

Gov. Peter Shumlin issued the following statement after President Obama unveiled new environmental regulations to combat climate change and promote renewable energy

Vermont U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday praised President Obama for taking the most significant step yet to reduce U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases in order to address the causes of climate change. The Clean Power Plan sets the first-ever carbon pollution standards for power plants, requiring each state to create its own plan for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 32 percent from 2005 levels, by 2030.

Gov. Peter Shumlin issued the following statement after Green Mountain Power submitted to the Public Service Board a proposed 0.76 percent electric bill decrease for customers starting in October. This follows last year’s 2.46 percent rate decrease.