Blog Posts

CVRPC has released a new website under the same web address www.centralvtplanning.org.  The new site now includes an intergated blog.  While we appreceate your visit to this site, please use the following link to read the lates news from Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission http://centralvtplanning.com/blog/.   Thanks.

Broadband and You!

If you need to know more about broadband coverage in Central Vermont (or anywhere in Vermont), you can find out at http://www.broadbandvt.org/.  You can register your location and see it mapped to illustrate where coverage exists, or doesn't.  This information is very important to Vermont's regional planning commissions right now because we are in the process of developing regional broadband plans and identifying where coverage exists and doesn't and how to get coverage to everyone.  Please provide your input.  Thanks.

VELCO Hearings on VT's Energy Future

Connecting Vermont's Energy Future:
Public meetings about VELCO's 2012 Vermont Long-Range Transmission Plan

Upcoming Information/Feedback Sessions

May 10
Montpelier, VT

Greetings!

You are invited to help shape VELCO's 2012 Vermont Long-Range Transmission Plan. Electric transmission lines provide the transport highways to move electricity from the generation sources to electric utilities that serve individual homes and businesses. VELCO owns and manages this statewide system and is responsible for Vermont's transmission grid reliability. The plan identifies transmission investments that may be needed to maintain system reliability. To view an electronic version of the Public Review Draft, please visit http://www.velco.com/planoutreach2012.

Public outreach on the draft plan will take place during April and May and will include three public gatherings, as well as presentations around the state at Regional Planning Commission meetings and other forums. If you are unable to attend the scheduled public forums, VELCO will also host a website to gather additional comments.

This three-year update of VELCO's 20-year plan is part of a collaborative planning process approved by Vermont's Public Service Board (PSB) in 2007. The outreach efforts are intended to gather public input on transmission and other solutions that meet Vermont's electric reliability challenges.

Your considered input will make the plan better. We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to share your views on the transmission reliability challenges facing our state as we connect to Vermont's energy future.

Format for the Montpelier  Session

Following a brief presentation on the plan, attendees will be invited to provide input and feedback. Your feedback will help VELCO improve the plan and learn more about local activities and plans that may influence future electricity and transmission demand.

Montpelier Information & Feedback Session

When: Tuesday, May 10, 2012

Where: Vermont College, The Gallery

36 College Street

Time: 10:00AM-1:00PM

We encourage participants to read the plan before the meeting so you can come with your questions and comments.

Your input is important to us. If you are unable to attend the public forums and would like to submit feedback, an online forum is available at http://www.velco.com/planoutreach2012

Please contact Shana Duval with any questions or concerns at 802-770-6381 or sduval@velco.com.

Your feedback is invited to help make this publication as useful as possible. If you would prefer not to receive future emails, please click on the safe unsubscribe link below.

Staying Connected

What do loggers and bobcats have in common? Why would a Vermont black bear need a roadmap?  Join us and other residents of the Worcester Range and the Northeastern Highlands for a lively evening of discussion about the future of people and wildlife in the region. March 13th -7-9 PM at the Worcester Town Hall , Worcester.

Guest Speakers: Tom Slayton, Jens Hilke, and George Gay.

Refreshmants will be served. For more information contact:  Neahga Leonard, Linkage Coordinator, Worcesters to Northeastern Highlands  Email: Neahga.Leonard@gmail.com (802) 595-1107

Mad River Valley Renewable Energy Series Videos

The five part Mad River Valley Renewable Energy Series, exploring a broad range of issues related to the MRV's renewable energy potential. Hosted by the Mad River Valley Planning District (http://www.mrvpd.org/) with support from the Vermont Energy Climate Action Network (http://www.vecan.net/), these talks continue the dialogue of energy in the MRV by bringing together community members and energy professionals on a variety of topics.  The videos for this series have been posted for viewing at http://www.centralvtplanning.com/EnergyResources.html.

Mitigation Plans Available for Public Review

The following towns have Hazard Mitigation Plans available for public review and comment - Plainfield, Berlin, E. Montpelier, Warren, Duxbury, Waterbury, Barre Town, Barre City, Cabot, Middlesex, Moretown and Williamstown. If you would like to review a copy of these plans, please contact Jennifer at mojo@cvregion.com

Draft Winooski River Basin Water Quality Management Plan ready for review

A series of public comment meetings will be held in February and March to gather comments on the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources’ Draft Basin 8 Water Quality Management Plan covering the Winooski River watershed.

The public is invited to attend the meetings, hear a presentation on the plan and offer their comments and suggestions.
Meetings will take place from 7:00 – 8:30 pm in the following locations:

February 22th
Fish and Wildlife Building
ANR Regional Office
111 West Street
Essex Junction, VT

March 8th
City Council Chambers
Montpelier City Hall
39 Main St.
Montpelier, VT

Copies of the plan may be obtained on-line at http://www.vtwaterquality.org/ or by requesting a copy from the number below. The public comment period runs until March 23, 2012. Comments received by this date will be addressed in a responsiveness summary.

For further information or to submit comments please contact:
Karen Bates
Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Watershed Management Division
111 West Street
Essex Junction, Vt. 05452
(802) 879-2339
karen.bates@state.vt.us

Vermont Communities in a Digital Age

Thursday, February 16th; 9am - 4:30pm
Vermont Technical College, Randolph Vermont
Visit http://www.evermontworkshop.org/ for links to more information and registration.

Join community leaders from around the state to share ideas and learn how online tools are being used to create jobs, reinvent schools, attract visitors, improve civic involvement, and enliven Vermont communities. The workshop is sponsored by the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project.

Anne Galloway of VtDigger.org will be the keynote speaker. Session topics include mobilizing community resources for emergencies, a hands-on lab exploring online tools for business, a showcase of how technology is expanding the classroom for 4-6th graders, a look at conducting town meetings in the digital age, and ways to increase public Internet access in your town (and why).

Registration is $20 and includes course offerings, refreshments, lunch and the chance to win a Kindle reader and other prizes in our raffle drawing.

For more information about the day go to http://www.evermontworkshop.org/. Pre-register online, by phone 802-859-3090, or by e-mail joanna@snellingcenter.org.

e-Vermont partner The Snelling Center for Government is the lead organizer for Vermont Communities in a Digital Age.

You can follow e-Vermont on Facebook and Twitter. Check out http://www.e4vt.org/ for more resources from e-Vermont.

CVRPC Newsletter

The January 2012 newsletter is ready and posted for reading.  The articles in this issue include.

Hazard Mitigation Grants Available
Municipal Planning Grants Awarded
Town River Debris Survey
Moving Forward After Irene
Community Recovery Partnership
Front Porch Forum

Click here to download a copy of the newsletter.

Please provide us with your comments.