Critics Pan Vt. Renewable Energy Siting Bill
Montpelier — Critics of Vermont’s process for selecting sites for renewable energy projects say they’re unhappy with legislation working its way through the Senate that is designed to give towns and regional planning commissions greater say in where solar and wind power projects go. About 60 members of the groups Energy Transformation Coalition and Energize Vermont gathered Tuesday for a news conference where leaders said Senate Bill...
U.S. Plan Will Fix Area Roads
West Lebanon — There was good news out of Washington this week for Upper Valley officials seeking funding for a number of transportation projects, ranging from a major safety overhaul along Route 12 in Charlestown to the replacement or repair of aging bridges over Vermont rivers in towns such as Strafford and Chelsea. After years of stymied efforts to address the nation’s aging and congested highways and transit systems, Congress...
Governor Talks Energy in Lebanon
West Lebanon — Gov. Maggie Hassan struck a cautious note last week about the prospect of energy projects in the state by saying the benefits of lowering the cost of energy by increasing the supply in the region must be balanced environmental concerns raised by those projects. Hassan, addressing a joint lunch sponsored by the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lebanon Rotary Club, acknowledged that “we need to increase the supply...
The Hot Spots for Home Improvement: Who’s Rebuilding?
After doing just enough to maintain their homes in the wake of the Great Recession, Americans are starting to ramp up spending on backyard decks, spa-like bathrooms and other vanity improvements. The amount people spend on home remodeling and repair is anticipated to hit $325 billion this year, a level that hasn’t been reached since 2007, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. Hanley Wood, a marketing services...
Oil-Sands Plans on Decline
Calgary, Alberta — The era of the megaproject in Canada’s oil sands is fading. Crude’s price slump, pressure to get off fossil fuels and tax increases in Alberta are adding to high costs and a lack of pipelines, prompting producers from Suncor Energy Inc. to Imperial Oil Ltd. to accelerate a shift to smaller projects. Companies are deferring new mines in favor of cheaper, bite-sized drilling programs that deliver quicker returns and...
