Grants available for local recreation paths
Toolbox
Published: November 14, 2009
MONTPELIER (AP) — Vermont Gov. James Douglas has announced a $500,000 grant program for communities and nonprofit groups looking to build or maintain recreational trails.
The money will go out in grants up to $20,000, providing there's a local match, and will help pay for property acquisition, development, rehabilitation and maintenance of trails.
Also available will be mini-grants of up to $500 to help groups purchase tools, signing and other items used in the trail work.
Some money will be made available for training as well.
The Department of Forests, Park and Recreation will hold a free grant-writing workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 9, from 3 to 4 p.m., at the Vermont Technical College in Randolph.
Entergy wants more time to finish spinoff
MONTPELIER (AP) — Entergy Corp. has asked federal regulators for more time to complete its planned spinoff of Vermont Yankee and four other nuclear stations to a newly created company.
New Orleans-based Entergy tells the Nuclear Regulatory Commission it wants more time to get still needed state approvals in Vermont and New York.
The NRC announced Friday it will consider the request that it extend the deadline for completing the transaction from Jan. 28 to Aug. 1.
Entergy hopes to create a new company to take over its Pilgrim nuclear plant in Plymouth, Mass., Vermont Yankee in Vernon, two reactors at the Indian Point Station and the separate Fitzpatrick plant, both in New York state, and the Palisades plant in Michigan.
Court upholds Williston landfill contract
MONTPELIER (AP) — The long-running legal battle over a regional landfill planned for Williston has taken another turn.
The Vermont Supreme Court on Friday rejected a bid by homeowners living near the landfill site to say the town of Williston overstepped its authority when it struck a host town agreement with the Chittenden Solid Waste District.
The court affirmed a Superior Court ruling issued by Judge Matthew Katz that also rejected the neighbors' arguments.
The high court has issued three previous decisions on various aspects of the waste district's plan to build a landfill in Williston, and may see more.
Before it can go ahead, the landfill project still needs local zoning, state Act 250 and other permits.
Burlington municipal telecom gets new financing
BURLINGTON (AP) — Top officials in Vermont's largest city say they've found new financing for Burlington Telecom, possibly cooling heated debate over the way the city's phone, cable and Internet service has been financed.
Mayor Bob Kiss and the city's chief administrative officer, Jonathan Leopold, announced Friday that a Minneapolis financial firm, Piper Jaffrey, had signed a letter of engagement for financing a bit more than $50 million to pay off a previous $33 million financing plus $17 million borrowed from the city's pooled cash account.
That borrowing from the city's account had set off sharp criticism of city officials from several quarters.
Now Kiss and Leopold say the new financing will mean the money can be paid back.
Companies to create 50 jobs at airport park
RUTLAND (AP) — Business development officials say at least 50 new jobs will be created at Rutland's Airport Business Park.
Rutland Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Jamie Stewart says a Canadian manufacturing company will work with a service company from northern Vermont.
He wouldn't name the companies involved.
Stewart tells the Rutland Herald the Canadian company was looking to expand its foothold in the United States. And the Vermont company pays an average of $15 an hour.
Stewart says a purchase and sale agreement for the project is due to be signed within two weeks.
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