Yearly Archives: 2016

Gov. Peter Shumlin today highlighted the success of an energy loan program that helps Vermonters retrofit their homes, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and save money. The Governor pointed to the program as an example of what is to come under a new law set to go into effect in January that will expand such energy and cost saving efforts.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, AHS Secretary Hal Cohen, and DCF Commissioner Ken Schatz announced today announced that the average Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefit will increase for most Vermont households this year. Last winter the average benefit was $699; That will rise to $865 this year

Gov. Peter Shumlin, AHS Secretary Hal Cohen, and DCF Commissioner Ken Schatz announced today announced that the average Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) benefit will increase for most Vermont households this year. Last winter the average benefit was $699; That will rise to $865 this year

VHFA's Executive Director Sarah Carpenter announced today that interested parties are invited to submit comments on how housing tax credits are allocated.  Housing tax credits are Vermont’s primary funding source for developing affordable rental housing.  The comments will be considered during this year’s upcoming revisions to Vermont’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP).

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is awarding $3.5 million in construction and planning grants for municipalities to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Cities...

Underscoring Vermont’s success in leveraging federal resources and partnerships to improve access to affordable housing in Vermont’s rural communities, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday hosted a public roundtable discussion with community leaders and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Julián Castro

This month, the Vermont Land Trust sold the 112-acre Gilbert’s Hill property along Route 12 to new owners Mary Margaret Sloan and Howard Krum. The land is now permanently protected for public recreation, historic preservation, and natural and scenic resources

Vermont's Weatherization Program helps low-income homeowners and renters to reduce their energy usage, lower their utility bills, and improve the overall comfort and safety of their homes. Priority is given to people getting Fuel Assistance, high energy use homes, families with young children, older Vermonters and people with disabilities

Governor Peter Shumlin and Vermont Public Service Department (PSD) Commissioner Chris Recchia announced today that the PSD has reached an agreement with Green Mountain Power (GMP) that, pending Public Service Board approval, will result in a 0.93% rate increase for GMP customers in the coming year. The new electric rates are due to take effect on October 1, 2016. The increase is just below the current 1% US rate of inflation. For the previous three out of four years, GMP customers’ bills had decreased. This year, base rates will decrease .03% but overall rates will modestly increase by .93% due to an increase in power supply costs.

Secretary of State Jim Condos would like to remind all Vermonters that the deadline to register to vote in the August 9th Statewide Primary is Wednesday, August 3rd. "Voting is the very basis of our democracy," said Secretary Condos, "I encourage everyone to get out and participate in Vermont's Primary on August 9th."

Gov. Peter Shumlin has signed S. 260, a bill designed to improve regional and town energy planning and to enhance community input into the siting of energy projects.

Gov. Peter Shumlin released today preliminary test results from private water supplies surrounding two former wire-coating facilities in Essex and Winooski.  All samples showed no presence of the potentially harmful chemicals PFOA and PFOS.

Gov. Peter Shumlin today released drinking water test results for PFOA from a new area of testing south of the Bennington Landfill. Of the 40 wells, three had no detection of PFOA, three had below 20 parts per trillion, and 34 had detections above 20 parts per trillion. The highest detection in was 201 ppt. Vermont's health advisory level for drinking water is 20 parts per trillion. The majority of the new results were from residences with private wells.

Gov. Peter Shumlin announced today new results from five water samples collected near the Pittsford Fire Academy. The results were received as part of the first batch of testing in the State’s effort to proactively investigate 11 additional sites statewide where perfluorocarbons may have been used

Redevelopment would create and preserve hundreds of downtown jobs and homes and completely rebuild and modernize mall’s downtown retail; Agreement commits owner to restoring public streets lost during Urban Renewal, paying construction workers livable wages, developing more than 50 permanently affordable home

A year after establishing a commitment to end family homelessness in Vermont by 2020, Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced a 28 percent decline in homelessness in the last year and issued a new Executive Order to increase access to affordable housing. The Order calls for owners of housing that receive state funds to make available at least 15 percent of their portfolio of housing units to Vermonters experiencing homelessness.

The 49-acre Kaiser Farm is nestled into Stowe’s picturesque Nebraska Valley. Christine Kaiser has farmed there for decades, producing eggs, pork, chicken, and goat milk in the valley’s meadows. Christine has managed her grassland and barnyards with an eye towards water quality because Miller Brook passes through the land. She is now working with Vermont Land Trust (VLT), Stowe Land Trust (SLT), and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conserve the farm and make sure the stream is permanently protected.