Upcoming Events

Wastewater Workshop: Residential Septic Systems & Innovative Alternatives

Thursday, 27 March 2025 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Speaker: Cristin Ashmankas, Department of Environmental Conservation

In person: Yestermorrow Design / Build School 7865 Main St. Waitsfield 

Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/CDZXjQjBRzmYmynrYB7zSA#/registration

Is your septic aging? How do you deal with wastewater management at home? Join Cristin Ashmankas with the Department of Environmental Conservation to discover how on-site wastewater treatment systems work and the various kinds of systems installed in Vermont. Learn why newer systems are no longer the septic systems of the past. Understand the regulatory framework for on-site wastewater systems and potable water supplies. Develop the understanding of how to maintain your on-site wastewater system to keep it functional for years to come. 

For more information about this event or to request assistance or alternate arrangements to participate in this event, please contact Lincoln Frasca (frasca@cvregion.com) at least 3 business days prior to the workshop

Building Resilience in Rural Communities Speaker Series: Mobilizing for Vermont's Extreme Weather

March 27 | 5-7 PM | In-Person at the Pavilion, 111 State St, Rm 110, Montpelier VT - enter from Governor Davis Ave

Hosted by Rebuild by Design in partnership with Vermont organizations - Register Here

Join legislators, climate partners, and community members for a conversation about climate funding in Vermont and take part in interactive breakout sessions. This builds on three webinars with local and national examples: Navigating VT Climate Risks & Building Resilience in Rural Communities, Flood Insurance and Housing, and Regional Planning and Leveraging Nature as Climate Infrastructure. Recordings of the previous webinars can be accessed here.

Fourth Annual Vermont Capital Planning Forum

Thursday, April 10th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm - Alumni Hall - Barre Auditorium

This is an in-person event for governmental units of all sizes and associated professionals to explore Vermont-specific best practices in capital planning.

$15 or free for municipal / school officials with submission of capital plan 

(contact ken@vtbondagency.org for potential cost waiver)

Register here: https://www.vtbondbank.org/capitalplanningforum2025

Registration closes on Thursday, April 3rd!

Community News

Move Forward Together Vermont Report Released

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) in partnership with the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) is pleased to announce the launch of Move Forward Together Vermont!

This guide to the future of outdoor recreation in Vermont comes after extensive engagement with more than 2,500 Vermont residents, business owners, outdoor recreation planners, funders, and users. Over an 18-month period, focus groups, surveys, and feedback sessions yielded an unprecedented set of data that shaped the vision and priority actions for strengthening Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy. This launch marks a significant milestone in advancing outdoor recreation in our state by elevating climate resilience and equity and organizing our work across the three key themes of stewardship, wellness, and economic development.

Read the Press Release: https://fpr.vermont.gov/press-release/move-forward-together-vermont

Learn more: Download and read the report to understand how we developed the vision and priority actions. 

·        Move Forward Together Vermont Project Website: bit.ly/MoveTogetherVT   

·        Move Forward Together Vermont Planning Process Website: bit.ly/MoveTogetherVTPlanning

If you have any questions, please reach out to Jackie Dagger, VOREC Program Manager (Jackie.dagger@vermont.gov). 

Regional Plan Update

Staff and committee members continue to be hard at work on the Regional Plan update with twice-monthly meetings. The committee provided guidance on Energy chapter decision points, including renewable energy siting preferences and constraints, and Housing chapter decision points, including housing target methodology. Over the coming months, efforts will focus on Future Land Use Area mapping, housing targets, and transportation. Join the Regional Plan Committee on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 4 pm.

RFPs & Grant Information

Vermont Rural Fire Protection Grant Program

The Vermont Rural Fire Protection Task Force is pleased to announce the 22nd year of funding for towns to improve fire suppression capabilities. The goals of the program are to:    

• Save lives, by reducing response time and improving both public and firefighter safety.
• Enable fire fighters to have quicker, easier and safer year round drafting capability.
• Reduce risks to property and natural resources, both private and public.
• Lower insurance premiums, both private and public.

GRANT INFO:

• The maximum grant award is $10,000 per project/system. 25% local match is required. (Maximum grant could be as much as $20,000 if the project meets other criteria such as project cost, type & date completed).
• The installation of new dry hydrants & other types of rural water supplies is still the priority of the program, but eligible projects also include repair/upgrade, replacement, relocation of existing rural water supplies (whether previously grant funded or not) and drafting site development (access, stepping stones for portables, etc.)
• We have application deadlines of April 1, June 1 & August 1. Please submit your application(s) by the appropriate deadline and it will be processed in the order it was received.

More details here >>