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Mayor Miro Weinberger today joined VLT President Gil Livingston to announce the creation of a new Burlington City park, following the purchase by the City and VLT of 12 acres of land for $2M from developer Burlington College Community Housing (BCCH) through its principal, Eric Farrell.

The Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) - part of the Department for Children and Families (DCF) - announced that approximately $785,000 in grants were awarded to 11 organizations to provide community-based solutions for meeting the emergency housing needs of Vermonters.

Gov. Peter Shumlin today urged Vermonters to prepare for frigid weather conditions this weekend. In addition, the Governor advised Vermonters at risk of homelessness to contact their local Economic Services Division office before 4:30pm or to call 211 after 4:30pm to arrange for temporary housing during the coldest nights.

Two important factors connecting communities to employment, education, and vital services are affordable housing and transportation. While improving proximity and access to jobs alone certainly won’t solve our social mobility challenges, it can ameliorate problems like segregation, concentrated poverty, and low-density sprawl that pose real barriers to economic progress for low-income families

Gov. Peter Shumlin issued the following statement after the Supreme Court put on hold the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan while litigation against the plan proceeds.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment introduced by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) that would expand the federal housing assistance program to cover previously ineligible expenses of low income mobile home owners. The bipartisan initiative was approved as an amendment to the Housing Opportunities Through Modernization Act (H.R. 3700), which passed the House and will now go to the Senate for further consideration.

Vermont's Secretary of Agriculture, Chuck Ross, issued his revised decision regarding the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) petition to require mandatory Best Management Practices (BMPs) for farms in the Missisquoi Bay Basin. The Revised Secretary's Decision makes a threshold determination that BMPs are necessary in the basin to achieve compliance with Vermont's water quality goals.

A historic hill farm in Fayston is being revived as a working farm. Today, valley-based farmers and food entrepreneurs Sebastian von Trapp, Georgia von Trapp, and Joey Nagy purchased the former Tenney Farm from the Vermont Land Trust.

The Vermont Farm Show, the state's annual winter event showcasing the state's most important industry, will open its three day stand on Tuesday, January 26, at 9:00 a.m. Over 150 vendors will be on hand to promote new technology and information to visitors of all ages. The Miller Buildings on the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds - as well as outside space - will be full of a variety of exhibits that include 3 different sizes of robotic milkers, 16 agricultural associations, 4 insurance companies, 4 lending institutions and a variety of large and small equipment dealers. Forestry and solar companies will also be in attendance

Williston’s Mud Pond Country Park just grew by 39 acres according to the Vermont Land Trust. Today, the Town of Williston purchased and permanently conserved the land, announced the Vermont Land Trust

Senator Patrick Leahy, Governor Peter Shumlin and representatives of Senator Sanders and Congressman Welch were joined by United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Burlington Friday to announce a $46 million federal loan program to bolster investments in energy efficiency and renewable power projects across Vermont.

Composites BHS, a Sherbrooke-based manufacturer, has selected St. Johnsbury, Vermont for its expansion into the United States. This new investment will facilitate the creation of approximately 75 new jobs over the next several years. The company will locate in the St. Johnsbury-Lyndonville Industrial Park in an existing building.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded $46 million in assistance to the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) to support energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements in rural areas across the state.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is now accepting proposals from Vermont businesses and organizations for vending and exhibiting space in the Vermont Building at the 2016 Eastern States Exposition ("The Big E") in West Springfield, Massachusetts. The 2016 fair dates are September 16th - October 2nd. Approximately 1 million patrons passed through the Vermont Building during the 2015 Big E, spending nearly $1.7 million on Vermont products.

Williston’s Mud Pond Country Park just grew by 39 acres according to the Vermont Land Trust. Today, the Town of Williston purchased and permanently conserved the land, announced the Vermont Land Trust.

In response to growing demand from Vermont homeowners seeking to invest in energy-efficient upgrades that can help them save money on their heating and electricity bills, Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced continued funding of a program that has an outstanding track record for helping homeowners meet their energy efficiency needs.

In response to community support in Newport City, Vermont, the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) purchased the 129-acre Bluffside Farm on December 22, 2015. VLT will be a temporary owner of the farm in order to create time to work with the Newport community on a long-term ownership plan.

The deadline to submit public comment to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) regarding the draft Required Agricultural Practices (RAP) rules is December 18th, 2015.