Latest news with #EssexJunction
Fox News
03-06-2025
- General
- Fox News
Dem lambasted for saying ‘we're not going to have anyone around to wipe our a--es' without more immigration
Vermont's sole U.S. House member was lambasted on Tuesday after video surfaced of her warning Vermonters that unless the feds increase immigration to the U.S., "we're not going to have anyone around to wipe our a--es." Vermont Republican Party Chairman Paul Dame said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., should apologize for her remarks both because of the "crude choice of words" and "disturbing sentiment" that the primary reason for allowing immigrants in is to "perform labor that she deems beneath the dignity of others." "It seems that every month Vermonters are subjected to coarse and vulgar language from our federal representatives," Dame lamented. "At the heart of these remarks is an opinion so offensive and so profoundly out of touch that it reveals a fundamental lack of respect for those who come to this country – abiding by the rules – in pursuit of freedom, opportunity, and a better life." Dame noted Vermont has welcomed foreigners to work at a microchip factory in Essex Junction and as well-trained physicians in the state's hospitals. Mark Coester is a small business owner, fishmonger and craftman running as a Republican to oppose Balint in 2026. He criticized the congresswoman's comments and shared a headline reporting ICE arrested 10 construction workers one day later in the same town where she spoke. "Pack em up, fly em out," Coester wrote on X, in response to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., condemning the "dragnet raid." "Only an entitled Vermont Democrat would say such a thing," added former Vermont state Senate candidate Paul Bean, going on to warn tradesmen that the lawmaker purportedly "thinks you are basically a--wipers." Speaking in Newport, near the Canadian border, Balint said she used to have her middle school students take the official U.S. citizenship test as a classroom exercise. "And then they would take it home and have their parents take it. It was scary… We have to solve the immigration problem," she said. "I feel like in this moment we've forgotten that we actually can have an orderly immigration system that allows people, whether it's to come here legally to work, we all know our ag system in Vermont would collapse without labor," she said, calling the issue "existential." "If we don't have avenues for people to come here legally to work or to build a home here, I'm going to be really crude right now, we're not going to have anyone around to wipe our asses – because we don't have enough people in our country now to fill the jobs that we have right now, but we have to make sure those folks are getting a decent wage and making sure that their rights are protected…" anyone around to wipe our asses Balint added that supporting secure borders is "not xenophobic" but that there is "lawlessness" from the Trump administration's ICE and Homeland Security apparatuses. Fox News Digital reached out to Balint for comment.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Lightshift Energy to Build Vermont's Largest Energy Storage Project to Power Semiconductor Manufacturing for GlobalFoundries
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2025-- Lightshift Energy, a leading developer, owner, and operator of energy storage projects, will build Vermont's largest battery energy storage project at GlobalFoundries' semiconductor manufacturing facility in Essex Junction. The project, which has completed permitting and contracting, will begin construction this year and is set to come online in early 2026. This project represents a forward-thinking approach to integrating battery technology within a large-scale manufacturing facility. Connecting directly to GF's switchyard, the 16MW/52MWh system will be used primarily for peak shaving by storing electricity during periods of low regional demand and discharging it during peak times to alleviate grid stress. By lowering peak energy usage, the project will also improve regional grid resilience and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, particularly during high-demand periods when natural gas is the primary fuel source on the New England grid. 'GF has been a great partner on this project, which will not only reduce energy costs for its Vermont campus but also support regional electric reliability and Vermont's clean energy goals,' said Michael Herbert, Lightshift Co-Founder and Managing Partner. 'This project represents new applications for energy storage within the semiconductor industry, demonstrating how managing peak demand can improve efficiency for industrial operations, and how energy storage can be used to mitigate the impacts of large loads on the electric grid.' 'GF has consistently demonstrated its commitment to sustainable manufacturing and maintaining global competitiveness right here in Vermont, while also being a supportive corporate citizen for the community. Partnering with Lightshift aligns perfectly with these objectives and supports the sustainability goals of our customers, while propelling both GF and Vermont forward,' said Ken McAvey, General Manager of GF Vermont. About Lightshift Energy Lightshift Energy is a utility-scale energy storage project developer, owner and operator headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Founded in 2019, Lightshift is developing a diverse, multi-gigawatt pipeline of energy storage projects, located throughout the U.S. With leading energy storage analytics, application design, finance, and development expertise, Lightshift deploys dynamic, multi-use energy storage projects that maximize value for utilities and other partners, while reinvesting directly into the communities where their projects are located. For more information, please visit View source version on CONTACT: Media Contacts: Laura Coriell [email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA VIRGINIA VERMONT INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SEMICONDUCTOR OTHER ENERGY UTILITIES OIL/GAS COAL ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ENERGY NUCLEAR BATTERIES SOURCE: Lightshift Energy Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/22/2025 09:05 AM/DISC: 05/22/2025 09:05 AM
