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Causeway featured in NY Times
In an article about cycling around Lake Champlain, the NY Times featured a photo of the Causeway.
Read the article here.
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Neighbor Rides available in several towns
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The new Neighbor Rides program from United Way connects people who need local rides (to appointments, shopping, etc.) with people who can offer them.To learn about the program or volunteer, visit the Neighbor Rides website.
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Sept. Incentives for Giving Blood
FREE Round of Golf from any participating Golf Course
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Open Monday-Friday, 9 am to 6 pm and Saturdays, 7:30 am to 1 pm.
Walk in or by appointment call 1-800 RED CROSS or online at redcrossblood.org
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Greetings!
We're celebrating lots of advances in the world of Electric Vehicles this month, from policy to implementation to EV celebration on Church Street!
This coming Saturday is Burlington Plug-In Day, from 11-2 on Church Street. See the latest innovative models, learn some science, and talk to the car owners. More info on the website.
The CCRPC is a founding stakeholder in of Drive Electric VT underway at Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), and EVs were included as a transportation priority in the ECOS Plan. CCRPC recently completed the Chittenden County Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Infrastructure Planning 2013-2023 Report. A follow-on report to specifically plan for installing charging stations in Chittenden County is now underway, along with the development of education and technical assistance for the region's municipalities - details can be viewed in the EV Phase II Siting Project Scope. We're also excited that the RPC will be leasing 2 EV's that staff and our summer interns will use as we dart around the county serving our towns. Do enjoy the peak of the season ahead. Sincerely,
Michele Boomhower
Assistant Director/MPO Director
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
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Of Note
CCRPC receives 2013 NADO Innovation Award The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) presented CCRPC Executive Director Charlie Baker with a 2013 Innovation Award, for the organization's success in creating The ECOS Plan, an integrated regional plan for Chittenden County.NADO's Innovation Awards recognize regional development organizations for their hard work and dedication to promoting economic development in rural and small metropolitan communities across the country. |
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Transportation News
CIRC Alternatives Process coming to a close
Later this fall, many projects associated with the CIRC Alternatives Process will be coming to a close. There's lots of updated project information to be found from the CIRC Alternatives webpages on our site.
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For the latest news with several of our projects, please click on a link below:
Of course, there's lots more going on all over the County, and we plan to have web pages for almost all our projects by summer.
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VTrans offers Transportation Alternative Program
VTrans is now accepting applications for the Transportation Alternatives Program, that funds the following eligible activities:
- Construction/planning/design for bike-ped transportation
- Construction/planning design for non-drivers (incl. youth and older adults)
- Rail-to-trail projects
- Construction of overlooks and viewing areas
- Community Improvement (incl. historic preservation, vegetation management, and archaeological activities, among others)
- Environmental mitigation
- Safe Routes to School
This is a reimbursement program.
Info sessions Sept. 17th and Sept. 24th via VT Interactive Technologies (Mandatory for applicants who haven't attended a local transportation facilities workshop in the past year, and strongly recommended for all).
Final and complete applications due Wednesday, October 16th.
Applications and more information available at the Transportation Alternatives web site.
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The ECOS Plan in Action
[In this section of the newsletter, we will highlight the work of your town or organization that is contributing to the ECOS mission of a healthy, inclusive and prosperous community. To be included, please send your news to elong@ccrpcvt.org.]
Rainbarrel Auction raises $2,800 to promote storm wate r education. The ECOS-funded storm water education program Let it Rain! auctioned-off its collection of painted rain barrels that have been on Church and College Streets all summer. The rain barrels were auctioned-off at a fun event at the Art Hop, and the rain barrels have gone on to do good all over the county!
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Energy & Natural Resources
The Governor Wants YOU! to Button-Up!
Events around the state on October 5th 
October 5 will be the first-ever statewide energy efficiency day of action. There are lots of way to help-out, from tabling, to spreading the word via social media, to going door-to-door describing steps people can take to weatherize their homes. The event is being coordinated and promoted by The Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN) - the umbrella organization of the state's 100+ town energy committees.
To see if there are events planned for your town and find out how to participate, please visit the VECAN website. If you have questions you can contact Keil Corey at kcorey@vnrc.org or 802-922- 2893 x 118. Thanks for participating on October 5!
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Essex, Essex Junction, Burlington and So. Burlington awarded stream restoration grants from VTrans.
The four towns will create plans to identify necessary actions in order to improve retention and management of stormwater, in order to achieve flow targets as well as present a design and construction schedule for the new measures -- all of which are a new requirement of the State's recently issued "MS-4" permits for towns with Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System and local streams which have impaired water quality.
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Weatherization Skill Shop
October 5th, 2013 - 9:00am - 3:00pm, $25
Essex Technical Center, Essex
Efficiency Vermont is offering several "skillshops" to help homeowners learn how to make their homes more energy efficient. Learn what you can do, and what you can ask a contractor to do. Information at their website.
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Statewide Green Infrastructure Municipal Outreach Project
In a coordinated effort with RPC's statewide and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, CVRPC is starting to conduct municipal assessments and providing technical support for promotion and adoption of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) practices at the municipal level. GSI is an emerging set of practices that addresses the storm water issues
associated with land development ranging from installing rain gardens and
vegetated swales at the site-level to implementing riparian buffer regulations at the community or landscape-scale. GSI strives to manage storm water and pollutants by restoring and maintaining the natural hydrology in a watershed.
This initial phase of the project will entail an RPC review of municipal plans, zoning bylaws and subdivision regulations in 2 to 4 pilot communities with a general analysis of the extent to which a municipality supports the use and implementation Green Stormwater Infrastructure.
For more information on Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Vermont, visit the program website.
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Home Energy Tip of the Month
Limited time offers from Efficiency Vermont
- Get a $100 discount on an energy audit.*
- Receive up to $2,000 upon completing qualifying energy efficiency improvements.
- Earn an additional $500 bonus for completing the improvements by December 31, 2013.
Total incentive cannot exceed project cost.
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For questions about energy planning, contact Melanie Needle in the CCRPC office at mneedle@ccrpcvt.org, or 802-846-4490 x27.
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Emergency Preparedness
Documenting storm damage resources  - This article about hazard mitigation and the importance of, from the - Vermont League of Cities and Towns - This interactive web-based course from FEMA explains accessing funding. - This article is an overview of the Public Assistance program Changes coming to national flood insurance Last year, the U.S. Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012. In addition to reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 2017, the law is attempting to make the NFIP more financially stable by raising artificially low flood insurance premium rates which, at present, do not reflect the true flood risk. You may hear emergency managers and insurance agents refer to the new law as "B-W" or "BW-12." Read an article about it in the Vermont League of Cities and Towns newsletter.
* * * For questions regarding Emergency Preparedness, including LEPC 1 or 5, please contact Paul Luciano in the CCRPC office at pluciano@ccrpcvt.org. |
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Save the Date
CCRPC Calendar of Upcoming Meetings
[All meetings at the CCRPC offices unless otherwise noted.]
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Saturday, September 28th, 11:00am - 2:00pm -- Celebrate EV Day on Church Street Tuesday, October 1st -- 12:00pm -- CarShare Launches Winooski Pod CarShare Vermont is opening its first pod in Winooski! A new car will be located on Winooski Falls Way at Spinner Place, conveniently located next to the CCTA bus shelter. To celebrate CarShare VT is hosting a party and press event at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, October 1st at the Farmers Market green (rain site CCTA indoor bus stop). They're also inviting 25 Winooski households to give CarShare Vermont a try for FREE for two whole months, including $100 in driving credits! Contact Alicia at alicia@carsharevt.org or (802) 861-2340 if you're interested in taking the pledge, and visit www.carsharevt.org to learn more about car-sharing and its important role in our regional transportation system.
Saturday, October 5th - Button-Up Vermont Day (activities around the State)
Tuesday, October 8th, 8:30 am to 11:00 am Chittenden County Road Managers Meeting - Williston Fire Station Training Room, 645 Talcott Road, Williston Learn how to manage your bridge and culvert inventories through the new VTCulverts website (http://www.vtculverts.org/) and participate in a discussion about iPads and how they can be implemented by a Public Works Department. Please RSVP to bdavis@ccrpcvt.org or 846-4490 x17.
Week of October 14-18 - Way To Go! Fall Commuter Challenge...try getting to work another way! 
Monday, October 21st - 10:00am - 12:00pm -- Incident Command for Executives
The purpose of this course is to provide an orientation to the Incident Command System for Executives and Senior Officials. Training will take place at the CCRPC offices. The intended audience is: Chief Executives (Town Managers/Administrators, Mayors, Select Boards, School Principals, Elected Officials, and Senior Governmental Officials) with
a policy responsibility, but no specific ICS function/role or responsibility. Elected officials with community oversight responsibility are encouraged
to attend this training.
To register, download the Registration Form, save as a PDF, and email to andrea.young@state.vt.us. Registration deadline = October 14th.
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Saturday, December 7th -- 6th Annual VECAN Conference
Strengthening Connections and Advancing Total Energy Solutions
Designed to inspire, support and grow the statewide network of town energy committees and other energy-ambitious Vermonters, this one-day conference emphasizes clean energy and climate action strategies that can be implemented locally. Workshops and roundtables will address energy efficiency, transportation, renewable energy, legislative action, coalition building and other essential solutions needed to meet Vermont's energy and climate goals. The conference will take place on Saturday, December 7 from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee, Vermont. Visit the VECAN website for all the details.
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Save the Date!
2014 TRB Tools of the Trade Conference - July 21-23, 2014
The CCRPC is the local host for the 2014 Transportation Research Board's conference focusing on small and medium sized communities. Join us for 2 ½ days of presentations, interactive sessions, and panel discussions to enhance your transportation planning practice in small and medium sized communities.
Room registration now open at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center,
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