{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=577", "Vermont Delegation, Governor Scott Celebrate New Funding for Northern Border Regional Commission Awards", "2025-06-24", "2025", "2025-06", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Becca Balint", "B001318", "balint.house.gov", "balint", "https://balint.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, the Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-At Large), along with Governor Phil Scott and the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC)announced NBRC\u2019s Spring 2025 Catalyst Program awardees. Eleven projects in Vermont will receive a cumulative $13.7 million in funding to support initiatives that will increase market access for Vermont food producers, renovate historic and community gathering sites, and upgrade aging infrastructure and municipal drinking water systems.\n\nEstablished in 2008, the NBRC is a Federal-State partnership in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire collaboration to improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region.\n\n\u201cThe Northern Border Regional Commission plays a crucial role in supporting rural economies and communities in Vermont. These funds will be a catalyst for economic growth in rural communities across our state\u2013from renewing vital drinking water infrastructure to renovating historic buildings and community gathering spaces,\u201d said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. \u201cWe\u2019re pleased to see these projects receive funding to help communities in every corner of the Green Mountain State grow and thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in our communities and fixing aging infrastructure, is key to addressing many of the housing and affordability challenges we\u2019re facing in the state,\u201d said Governor Scott. \u201cI want to thank the congressional delegation for their advocacy for this funding as well as the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and NBRC for their work to support these important projects.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe slate of awards approved by the Commission represent a generational investment in local economies across Northern New England and New York. This public investment in infrastructure will directly lead to the creation of new jobs and businesses, housing construction and improved economic opportunity and vitality in rural communities,\u201d said NBRC Federal Co-Chair Chris Saunders.\n\n\u201cThis grant will have a huge impact on our community, and we are so grateful that this resource exists to make these improvements possible. With these funds, the Bolton Valley community will be able to move forward with a much-needed wastewater plant upgrade and set the stage for new residential development. These funds will move the needle on these projects. We truly cannot overstate the impact,\u201d said Lindsay Deslauriers, President, CEO of Bolton Valley Water and Community Development Co.\n\nWhen evaluating potential projects, the Catalyst Program considers project readiness, economic impacts, impacts on Vermont\u2019s skilled workforce, project location, regional input and priorities, and the project\u2019s transformational nature. Awarded projects in the 2025 Catalyst Spring Competition will support essential transportation and water and wastewater infrastructure, expand access to child care, and restore vital economic and social hubs for the rural communities, and more.\n\nThe 2025 Catalyst Spring Competition Awardees include:\n\n\u00b7 Bennington County Industrial Corporation (Bennington County) \u2013 $3,000,000:\n\n\u00b7 Develop essential transportation and water/wastewater infrastructure, supporting long-term economic revitalization in the Putnam Block of downtown Bennington.\n\n\u00b7 Bolton Valley Water and Community Development Co. (Chittenden County) \u2013 $3,000,000:\n\n\u00b7 Upgrade the community wastewater plant and construct a new road to support housing and economic growth.\n\n\u00b7 Rutland City (Rutland County) \u2013 $3,000,000:\n\n\u00b7 Modernize Downtown Rutland\u2019s infrastructure, enhancing economic growth and resilience.\n\n\u00b7 Town of Highgate (Franklin County) \u2013 $1,000,000:\n\n\u00b7 Construct a community wastewater system, enhancing infrastructure for residents, businesses, and public spaces in Highgate Center.\n\n\u00b7 Town of Rochester (Windsor County) \u2013 $1,000,000:\n\n\u00b7 Re-purpose the former Rochester High School into a multi-use community hub.\n\n\u00b7 Town of Woodstock (Windsor County) \u2013 $868,858.52:\n\n\u00b7 Upgrade its municipal drinking water system, increasing pressure and capacity to support new housing and business development.\n\n\u00b7 Benson Village Trust, Inc. (Rutland County) \u2013 $500,000:\n\n\u00b7 Rebuild the Benson Village Store, restoring a vital economic and social hub for the rural community of Benson, Vermont.\n\n\u00b7 Food Connects (Windham County) \u2013 $499,385.50:\n\n\u00b7 Expand its storage and distribution infrastructure, increasing market access for Vermont food producers and supporting rural economic development.\n\n\u00b7 Canaan Naturally Connected, Inc. (Essex County) \u2013 $449,044.00:\n\n\u00b7 Renovate a historic Episcopal Church into the Canaan Community Center, a vital hub for economic and social engagement in rural Essex County, Vermont.\n\n\u00b7 Southeast Vermont Transit, Inc. (Windham County) \u2013 $282,078.00:\n\n\u00b7 Convert Springfield, Vermont\u2019s fixed-route bus system, into a free, on-demand micro transit service.\n\n\u00b7 Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary (Orange County) \u2013 $100,000:\n\n\u00b7 Conduct a feasibility study for expanding childcare facilities and outdoor recreation infrastructure, addressing critical service gaps in rural Vermont.\n\nRead more from NBRC here. The NBRC\u2019s grants management system will open for Fall Round pre-applications in August 2025. Learn more about how to apply here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T01:08:28Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=577"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.871678814291954, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}