Welcome to the Northeast Kingdom!

The Northeast Kingdom is known for its pastoral landscapes, year-round fun and honest people.

 

NVDA serves the 55 municipalities in this northeastern corner of Vermont as the Regional Planning Commission. We assist with regional and municipal land use and Transportation Planning.

 

NVDA also serves the businesses in the Kingdom and encourages sustainable economic growth as the Regional Economic Development Corporation.

 

We encourage you to discover the rich traditions and natural wonders enjoyed in these three counties of Caledonia, Essex and Orleans.

 

 

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NVDA Towns Receive Municipal Planning Grants

Congratulations to the towns of Barnet, Barton, Glover, Brownington, Concord, Newark, and Sutton. All were recipients of Municipal Planning Grant (MPG) awards, amounting to $58,153 collectively. Awarded annually and administered by the Dept. of Housing and Community Development, the MPG program works to strengthen Vermont by funding local planning initiatives that support statewide planning goals. The grants address a variety of local concerns, including economic development and flood resilience. You can find more specific information about each grant award here.

 

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David Snedeker to Replace Retiring Executive Director, Steve Patterson

Executive Director, Steve Patterson, is retiring after more than a decade at NVDA. David Snedeker has been named Executive Director by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. NVDA Board President John Morley said, "Dave has the credentials and experience to step into this important position to oversee both regional planning and economic development efforts in Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties. We are lucky to have his expertise on staff which will allow for a smooth transition." Steve Patterson is retiring in December after more than a decade of leadership. He praised the appointment. "Dave's assistance has been critical all along in helping guide our work in every area and he has lead several major projects. His recent work on the Foreign Trade Zone is expected to benefit the expanding NEK economy. Dave has served as NVDA Planning Manager since 2007, and does not expect any major changes once he takes over in mid December. "Steve has the organization moving in a positive direction and I'm expecting to continue that. I look forward to the opportunities and challenges offered in this leadership position."

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Irene Nagle Joins NVDA as Senior Planner

The NVDA staff welcomes Irene Nagle as Senior Planner. Irene has worked in planning and historic preservation for the past twenty years and has been certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). She holds a M.S. in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and has a strong background in all aspects of land use planning. Irene is a member of the VT Planners Association and has worked with a number of communities in Vermont and elsewhere in the northeast. Executive Director Dave Snedeker said, "Irene's work in municipal planning and preservation as well as her experience in conducting housing studies will be extremely valuable to NVDA as we work to successfully accommodate the coming development in our region. We are very fortunate that she was available to join our staff and extremely pleased to have her on board."

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Working Lands Enterprise Board Announces Over $1 Million Available in Grant Funds

The Working Lands Enterprise Board announces the availability of over $1 million in grant funds for investment into farm, food systems, forestry, and forest products enterprises. Click here for the full press release regarding this grant program.

Working Lands funds are available in three investment areas:

 

1. Agriculture, Forestry & Forest Products: Enterprise Investments - $3,000 - $20,000       APPLICATION DUE: 12/11/2013

 

 

2. Agriculture, Forestry & Forest Products: Working Lands Service Provider Grants - $10,000 - $150,000

LETTER OF INTENT DUE: 11/26/2013

FULL APPLICATION DUE: 2/28/2014

 

3. Agriculture, Forestry & Forest Products: Capital and Infrastructure Investments - $15,000 - $75,000

LETTER OF INTENT DUE: 11/26/2013

FULL APPLICATION DUE: 3/07/2014

 

A series of applicant information sessions (Webinars) will be hosted at locations around the state, INCLUDING NVDA's St. Johnsbury Office, Tuesday, November 5th, 4:30 - 6:00. Contact Alison Low at NVDA if you plan to attend. For information on all of the Webinars, click here.

 

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NVDA Welcomes Joe Kasprzak!

Joe Kasprzak has joined NVDA's economic development team as the Orleans County Business Resource Coordinator. A life-long resident of the NEK, Joe brings twenty-six years of experience in business management including fifteen years in ski resort development. He will meet one-on-one with local business leaders and potential business owners making them aware of the resources available through NVDA and partner organizations. He will involve local businesses, organizations, government and educational institutions in community meetings and forums to address issues, strategies and solutions related to Orleans County economic development. Contact him at the Newport office: (802) 334-5861 jkasprzak@nvda.net

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Vermont Land Link

Vermont Land Link is now up! For many new and established farmers, simply finding available land is a huge challenge. On the other side of the equation, more and more private, public and organizational landowners want to make land available for farming. This free and user-friendly portal now makes those important connections possible. Many thanks to the Lamoille Economic Development Corporation, Land Link's featured underwriter, and to the Vermont Farmland Access Network and its supporting agencies for creating this much-needed resource! For more information, visit: www.vermontlandlink.org

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The NVDA Wind Study Committee

"The NVDA Wind Study Committee was formed in response to the NVDA Board of Directors July 2012 adoption of a resolution recommending a suspension of industrial-scale (height of 200 ft. or greater) wind turbines for a 3-year period for further study".

Committee members include: Jim Greenwood (Chair), Mark Whitworth, Farley Brown, Robert Croteau, and David Snedeker (NVDA staff). The Committee meets at the Barton Town Office approximately every three weeks. Please contact NVDA to check on upcoming meetings. Meeting minutes will be posted soon.

Meeting schedule:
2/20/13, 6:00pm Barton Town Office  Minutes
3/13/13, 6:00pm Barton Town Office  Minutes
4/03/13, 6:30pm Barton Town Office (guest: Dave Hallquist, VEC)  Minutes
4/24/13, 6:30pm Barton Town Office (guest: Billy Coster, ANR) Minutes

5/08/13, 6:30pm Barton Town Office (guest: Anne Margolis, PSD) Minutes

5/29/13, 6:30pm Barton Village Community Center(guest: John Soininen, Eolian) Minutes
 Eolian Presentation

 8/14/13 at 7:00pm at the Barton Town Office (guest: Kerrick Johnson, VELCO) VELCO - Interconnecting Wind NVT, VELCO - System Reliability Renewable Generation

9/4/13 at 6:30 at the Barton Town Office. (guest Kevin Jones, VT Law School and Steve Therrien) Minutes
9/25/13, 6:30pm at the Barton Town Office. (Guests: Robt. Dostis, GMP; Jason Shafer, LSC) Health Effects - Peer Review Lit_KCW, KWC Fact Sheet, JShafer WindResource Presentation, Minutes

 

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NVDA Distributes Monthly Progress Reports

 

Since the NEK Economic Development Initiative was announced in September 2012, by Bill Stenger and partners, NVDA has received inquiries about the project's employment opportunities, infrastructure improvements, transportation plans, housing impacts, and timelines. To connect and share information, NVDA distributes a monthly e-mail Progress Report containing information on the work-in-progress, links and contact information, EB-5 status updates, and meeting announcements.  The Reports are sent electronically at the end of each month to a broad community audience of NEK residents, businesses, municipalities and stakeholders. Back issues are available for reference on this website: Resources & Opportunities / Other / Newsletter Archives.