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Subject: Re: The LVRT
Some
of the delay, about ten years, was due to the ACT
250 appeals at a cost of nearly $1 million. This
has been resolved and currently the basic issue is
limited funds. The federal earmark was $5.2
million. Obviously during the ten years delay the
cost of trail repair increased significantly.
Est.
total cost to complete is $14M. There are limited
federal dollars that need a 20% match. Because the
ACT 250 requirements in the end were determined
not to apply, any segment can be done if the local
match can be found. The Town of Hardwick is in
this process now.
Much
of the costs are related to bridges on the trail.
Under the current agreement, responsibility for
raising the match has been with VAST. Attempts to
raise funds through private contributions has been
largely unsuccessful. There is an effort underway
to relook at whether the Friends of LVRT could
perhaps be the face of the trail for fundraising.
It has proven unrealistic to think that VAST has
the capacity to totally fund and administer this
project. Work is currently underway on some of the
Western sections of the trail. The Transportation
plan sets aside $1 million each year for this
trail.
Since
funding for bike and pedestrian projects, which
generally goes to town projects on a competitive
basis is limited, there has to be regional equity
as to what projects get funded. Therefore, to
allocate all these funds to the LVRT project even
if the match is available would probably not be
supported as it would come at the expense of the
rest of the state.
Regarding
Efficiency Vermont, as a regulated utility, the
use of these funds which come from ratepayers is
very limited. The Legislature is looking at the
option of using these funds for thermal efficiency
as well in an effort to reduce carbon emissions
from the heating of homes and businesses. This is
under evaluation by the Public Utility Commission.
Thank
you for reaching out. I too am anxious to get this
projected completed. Kitty
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