A recent Seven Days blog post highlighted the flood recovery efforts of two of our colleagues, Geoff Hand and Rebecca Boucher. In the first weekend after Hurricane Irene, Geoff and Rebecca established locations in central Vermont (in the towns of Read more »
“Beginning Construction” Requirements for Section 1603 Cash Grants for Renewable Energy Projects
The federal Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program has provided a major incentive for the development of renewable energy projects in recent years by allowing owners of such projects to receive a cash grant in lieu of federal tax credits for specified Read more »
Comments on PSB Staff Proposal for New Vermont Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Due Sept 14, 2011
The Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) is in the process of preparing a report concerning the development of a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in Vermont to revise or replace the current RPS and Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development Read more »
Federal Court Permits a Constitutional Challenge to a Certificate of Need Law
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is allowing a commerce clause challenge to Washington State’s Certificate of Need (CON) laws to proceed. The Court found that the original federal legislation that authorized states to enact CON statutes, which was Read more »
Vermont Public Service Board Has Active Summer in Renewables Arena
The Vermont Public Service Board has seen a spate of activity over the past several months in the renewable energy arena. This has included both broad policy setting as well as project-specific decisions. Much of the activity has centered around Read more »
Vermont Court Rules Solar Energy Support & Orientation Equipment Exempt From Sales & Use Tax
In a decision issued last month, the Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, reversed a Formal Ruling from the Department of Taxes and held that fixed support and orientation equipment used to hold solar photovoltaic (PV) modules are exempt from Read more »
Does my organization REALLY need a social media policy?
As we lawyers like to say: You’re better safe than sorry. For many of us, social media has become part of the fabric of our lives – we use it to communicate with friends and family, we use it to gather information important to our personal and Read more »
Shumlin Administration Looks at Improving Environmental Permitting Process in Vermont
Earlier this month the Shumlin Administration announced that it was beginning to evaluate the environmental permitting process in Vermont and was looking for public comments on ways to improve the system. The Chair of the Vermont Natural Resources Read more »
SRH Law Client Wins Act 250 Case at Vermont Supreme Court
The Town of Royalton Planning Commission, a SRH Law client, recently prevailed at the Vermont Supreme Court in a long-contested state land-use matter concerning a proposal by developer Times and Seasons to construct a gift shop and restaurant on Read more »
VT Public Service Board Allocates SPEED Facilitator’s Costs
On July 8th the Vermont Public Service Board issued a decision in which it established the method by which Standard Offer renewable energy projects will contribute towards covering the costs of the Standard Offer Program’s Facilitator. Under Read more »
