2A Local/ The St. Albans (Vt.) Messenger, Tuesday, April 19, 2016 A show for the public Investigation into Vt.’s role in EB-5 program sought

By MORGAN TRUE delete old email accounts VTDigger.org staff was the result of a mis- understanding on the part ll three Democratic of Shumlin’s lawyer. No Agubernatorial candi- emails were deleted, he dates issued statements or added. held news briefings Mon- Springer said the gover- day to call for scrutiny of nor’s office would be “very the state’s role in a mas- comfortable” releasing sive alleged fraud scheme those emails, but Attorney at development projects in General William Sorrell the Northeast Kingdom. said the emails can’t be Republicans Bruce released at this time due to Lisman and Lt. Gov Phil the pending lawsuit against Scott had previously issued Stenger and Quiros. statements critical of the At a press conference Shumlin administration’s on the Statehouse lawn, oversight of the Jay Peak Galbraith said the state needs EB-5 projects. The develop- to examine whether state ers of those projects, Bill government exercised appro- Stenger and Ariel Quiros, priate oversight over the were charged with fraud in developers of the Jay Peak state and federal lawsuits Projects. He also renewed his last week. call for a ban on corporate The lawsuits allege that political donations. Stenger and Quiros mis- Galbraith said Stenger Above, St. Albans artist Cristin used $200 million of immi- and Quiros — “two of the Dewar displays her intricate hand- grant investors money, and largest contributors to made cards. Dewar was one of that Quiros pocketed as Vermont political cam- much as $50 million. paigns” — used corpora- the artists on hand to talk with Thus far, no one at the tions they owned to cir- visitors during Saturday’s Artist in state or federal-level has cumvent limits on individ- Residence grand opening. The gal- said whether anyone will ual contributions, provid- lery was filled with guests during review possible negligence ing more than $74,000 to or wrongdoing on the Shumlin and the Vermont the three-hour event. part of state officials. U.S. Democratic Party between Attorney Eric Miller has 2010 and 2014. Right, artist Terry Rice, of Alburgh, said his office is conducting “In these election cycles, poses with her work during the a criminal investigation Shumlin was the only candi- into the fraud allegations. date for top-tier office to have Artist in Residence grand opening He declined to say Monday a seriously contested elec- on Saturday. Rice, whose work is on if his investigation would tion. In effect, all this money display for the first time, is among include state officials. supported the governor’s the 42 artists exhibited in the gal- , a former elections,” Galbraith said. Democratic state senator, Shumlin said at a news lery. called for an independent conference last week, when commission to investigate asked whether he was influ- the state’s role in the alleged enced by those contribu- MICHELLE MONROE, St. Albans Messenger Jay Peak fraud. Matt Dunne, tions, that it was telling in a former Google executive, the matter that his admin- and , Shumlin’s istration set in place struc- former Transportation tures in late-2014 that helped Cold Hollow to Canada Secretary, issued state- bring the fraud to light. ments Monday calling for For many Vermonters, the Shumlin administra- that response from Shumlin tion — and in Dunne’s case “doesn’t pass the laugh Wanted: Sightings of amphibians the administration of for- test,” Galbraith said. mer Gov. Jim Douglas — Scott Coriell, the gov- to release emails relating ernor’s spokesman, said crossing the road to find water to the Jay Peak EB-5 proj- Monday that Shumlin ects. Lisman, a former Wall decided over the weekend Street executive, called for to donate $15,000 to non- the release of emails in a profits in the Northeast By Bridget Butler What to do: If you find a statement Saturday. Kingdom working to Special to the Messenger crossing site, take photos of The alleged fraud began combat opiate addiction. the animals you find, make in 2008, according to offi- That’s roughly the amount ach spring amphibians note of where the loca- cials, when Douglas was Shumlin received directly. Elike wood frogs, spring tion is either with a great still governor, but it’s not Coriell would not peepers and spotted sala- description or by GPS and clear if it would be pos- address money given to manders make their way send your sightings to the sible for his administra- the Democratic Party, and from deep in the leaf litter WildPaths Project at http:// tion’s emails to be released, whether Shumlin had solic- of woodlands to the chilly bit.ly/CHCWildPaths. because the governor’s ited donations from Quiros waters of ponds, wetlands The WildPaths Project office has said Shumlin and Stenger on the party’s and vernal pools. These is a program of Cold will be the first governor behalf. amphibians will spend Hollow to Canada, which to archive his staff ’s elec- Any money left in the their evenings calling in uses volunteers to gather tronic communications. governor’s campaign the case of the frogs or observations about wild- “Vermonters are enti- account when he leaves congressing in the case of life crossing roadways tled to know that the pub- office will be donated to the salamanders, in order Courtesy COLD HOLLOW OF CANADA in the Northern Green lic interest is the highest charity or given to candi- to mate and lay their eggs. Mountains. Learn more at priority in decisions made dates the governor sup- Then, they’ll move back to local populations. www.coldhollowtocanada. by government officials,” ports, Coriell said. the woodlands once again Understanding where When to look: Warm org. Minter said in a statement, Galbraith said the until next spring. amphibians are crossing (above 42 degrees), rainy ------adding that the fraud alle- Legislature should pass leg- Often the habitats where can help us help them! We nights. Typically in late Twice per month, the gations highlight the need islation creating the inde- they hibernate and those can organize people to help March through April. Messenger will have updates for “ethics reform and pendent commission that where they mate in are amphibians cross safely Where to look: on which animals are on the greater transparency” in would examine if the state separated by roads, putting and better yet, install new Anywhere a road with move and how residents can government. “exercised proper over- them at risk. The frogs and signage to alert drivers or woodland on one side help to document their cross- At a news briefing sight” of the Jay Peak EB-5 salamanders move under even design culverts spe- and wetland on the other. ings. Monday morning, Darren projects. The commission the cover of darkness and cifically for amphibians at Beaver pond complexes are Springer, Shumlin’s chief ® See EB-5 on page 10A on rainy nights, which high volume sites. By join- great sites. of staff, said a request to make them almost impos- ing the WildPaths project sible for a driver to notice you can help Cold Hollow to yet alone avoid. Mortality Canada better understand rates due to vehicles can where crossing sites are have a devastating effect on and how to reduce impacts. Company that owns ex-chemical plant to fund water study

ORTH BENNINGTON (AP) — Vermont Gov. Peter NShumlin says the company that now owns a closed chemical plant in North Bennington has agreed to pay for engineering studies to determine the feasibility of con- necting more than 100 homes to public water supplies. The Democratic governor says Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is paying for drinking water sampling of more than 300 private wells in the Bennington and North Bennington area to see if the wells are contaminated with PFOA. The Town of Bennington and the Village of North Bennington have secured separate proposals from engi- neering firms for about $15,000 each. Additionally, preliminary soil test results from around the former Chemfab facility in North Bennington, now owned by Saint-Gobain, found there is no significant risk of PFOA being drawn into plants and vegetables from garden soils.

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