VERMONT

recovery.vermont.gov

As of October 13, 2009: 

Agency Reported Data:

 

Rank:

Funds Announced

$657,843,618

51

Funds Available

$682,185,571

50

Funds Paid Out

$244,284,774

48

 

 

 

Recipient Reported Data:

 

Rank:

Number of Awards

11

51

Funds Awarded

$12,580,985

51

Funds Awarded Per Capita

$20

42

Funds Received

$495,047

51

Jobs Created / Saved

28

52

Unemployment Rate

6.7

46


Notes: All Rankings are from Highest to Lowest.  For example, a ranking of 15 for “Funds Announced” means that the state had the 15th highest amount offunds announced. A ranking of 15 for the unemployment rate means that this state has the 15th highest unemployment rate.       

Terms defined by http://www.recovery.gov/

Recipient Reported Data: These data are based on data submitted by federal contract recipients to www.federalreporting.govbetween Oct. 1 and Oct. 10, 2009.  On Oct. 30, 2009, the final recipient federal contract data and the final data on grants and loans will be available. It is collected and updated quarterly.

Agency Reported Data: These data are based on weekly Financial and Activity Reports filed by federal agencies receiving Recovery Act Funds.

Funds Announced: Funds that have been publicly announced as available to entities outside of the federal government.  Not all available funds are announced publicly. For example, the funds going to a project started prior to the Recovery Act that are commingled with the project’s Recovery funds will not be announced publicly before being made available to arecipient.  The Funds Announced figure should not be viewed as the total funding that an agency has made available.

Funds Available(Obligation): The term used to describe when an agency informs the public of the release of money to recipients either immediately or in the future.  

Funds Awarded: This is the amount of contract dollars that will be made available to recipients. 

Funds Paid Out: Funds that have been released from a federal agency to a recipient. 

Funds Received: The amount of money each recipient received from a federal award.  


Recent Updates

July 2, 2009

Vermont’s first stimulus-funded road project has been completed in Richmond. The state made rehabilitation of Richmond’s Bridge Street Bridge its top priority after receiving $125.8 million in highway and bridge funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to VermontBiz.com. The bridge’s opening on June 23 occurred ahead of schedule, the article said. “The quick and wise deployment of ARRA funds will help us make much needed and long overdue improvements to our transportation infrastructure,” Gov. Jim Douglas said at the opening. “They will also give our economy a much needed boost during our construction season.”

Vermont has received nearly $75 million in stimulus funding as of June 24, according to stimulus czar Tom Evslin. And that only includes what passes through state government. Evlin said in his blog, Fractals of Change, that money such as Pell grants for college students, Small Business Administration loans, and tax cuts and credits to individuals and businesses would add to that amount. Most of the money received by the state—about $71 million—has been spent in human services, primarily for Medicaid benefits, Evslin said. The state has spent about $5 million in transportation projects, he said.

June 18, 2009

Vermont’s governor and congressional delegation want the federal government to speed up stimulus funding. Gov. Jim Douglas and the federal representatives have written a letter to Vice President Joe Biden to that effect. The second slice of the stimulus pie is being delayed as federal officials write rules on how to award $7.2 billion in funds for telecommunications and electric grid improvement. The officials point out a December distribution of funds would miss the construction season in northern states.

 

May 28, 2009

Vermont’s efforts to create universal broadband and mobile phone coverage across the state by 2010 will benefit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to the Times-Argus. The state could receive between $30 million and $70 million from the federal stimulus package, the newspaper said in a May 27 article.

The National Telecommunications and Information Agency and the Rural Utilities Services are expected to begin accepting proposals for billions of dollars in high-speed Internet and mobile data grant and loans later this summer, the article said.

April 28, 2009
The Vermont Senate on April 24 passed an amended version of House Bill 438, which spends $455 million on transportation, according to WCAX. The bill includes a 2 percent tax on wholesale price of gas and diesel fuel. WCAX reported the state will be able to issue revenue bonds for future transportation spending. 

Rockingham is the site of Vermont’s first transportation stimulus project. The project—launched April 27—will repave nine miles of the state highway between Rockingham and Chester and costs $4 million. It’s the second most expensive project on the state’s first phase of stimulus spending, according to the Brattleboro Reformer. The state is spending $34 million of approximately $45 million it will receive from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on paving projects around the state, the Brattleboro Reformer reported.

April 21, 2009
Vermont will receive more than $20 million in stimulus funding for environmental projects, according to a press release from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The state will get $19.5 million to improve aging water infrastructure and more than $1.7 million to fund clean diesel projects, according a release from the governor’s office.

March 19, 2009
Vermont’s stimulus czar, Tom Evslin, said the state could receive up to $1 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, WCAX reported. While some pots of money—like the money in Medicaid reimbursement and tax cuts—are automatically given to states,  others will be awarded through competitive grants. Evslin met with officials last week to review the application process, WCAX reported.

Executive Branch

April 2, 2009

Gov. Jim Douglas asked the legislature March 31 to amend the state’s unemployment compensation law to provide additional weeks of benefits to individuals in approved training. It’s a step to allow the state to qualify for $13.9 million available to Vermont under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act recently. 

 

Gov. Douglas said April 1 that the Department of Health and Human Services released more than $2.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to support expanded services at eight community health centers across Vermont.  The funds are part of a total $338 million investment in centers nationwide.

 

Gov. Douglas said March 26 his SmartVermont plan lays the foundation for a 21st century economy. The plan, detailed in a press release, will invest $17.1 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State  Fiscal Stabilization Funds to leverage nearly $160 million in support to companies planning to locate and expand in Vermont. It will also provide support for existing Vermont employers, according to the press release. The plan will be administered by the Vermont Economic Development Authority. The plan also calls for additional investment in tourism and agriculture.

March 6, 2009 

Gov.  Jim Douglas on March 4 announced the creation of the Office of Economic Stimulus and Recovery to coordinate the state’s use of federal funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Former Vermont Transportation Secretary Tom Evslin will head the Office as chief recovery officer. The office will be located in the Agency of Administration and report to Administration Secretary Neale Lunderville.

The Vermont Federal Recovery Office, which was established in January before the recovery bill became law, has been fully incorporated into Office of Economic Stimulus and Recovery. Jim Bush will continue to serve in a leadership role as director of Physical Infrastructure, responsible for oversight and delivery of the nearly $200 million in new state and local infrastructure projects.

State Certification Letter

Vermont Transportation Economic Stimulus and Recovery - Vermont Awards Received, Updated June 15, 2009

Summaries from Vermont Recovery Web site

My Turn: Energy bill will hurt consumers - Op-Ed, Vermont Public Service Commissioner David O’Brien, Burlington Free-Press, May 2, 2009

 

Governor's economic recovery plan makes sense for Vermont, Op-ed, Brattleboro Reformer, April 20, 2009

 

Energy bill will hurt consumers - Op-Ed, Vermont Commissioner of Public Service

 

Information from State Stimulus Czar, Tom Evslin  

Press releases

 

Legislative Branch

April 2, 2009

Vermont lawmakers have their own priorities for federal stimulus money. Their plan, released April 1, calls for about $38 million of the state stabilization funds to go directly to the budget this year for education expenses. It also calls for $8.5 million for public safety.

 

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders announced March 26 that Vermont will receive $10.3 million for energy efficiency and conservation projects. That’s the state’s share of the $3.2 billion included in the economic stimulus bill and part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.

Press releases and articles from legislators

Legislation related to ARRA

  • H450 - An act relating to the state Fiscal Year 2009 Transportation Program.

  • H445 An act relating to capital construction and state bonding.

  • H438 Act relating to state’s transportation program

  • S137 - An Act Relating to Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
  • S132 - An Act Relating to Agricultural Funding Education and Outreach.
  • H414 – An Act Relating to Economic Stimulus and Limited Permit Exemptions for Wind Generation and Wood-Based Combined Heat and Power, Introduced March 17, 2009

Vermont Congressional Office

 

Congressman Peter Welch has developed a User’s Guide to the federal stimulus package as it pertains to Vermonters. Vermont User’s Guide to Economic Recovery Resources includes a breakdown of formula funding the state will receive as well as a breakdown of other grant funding for which the state can apply. According to Welch’s office, Vermont will receive the following formula funding amounts:

Congressional Press Releases

In the News