"I went into this meeting expecting there would be the typical NIMBY opposition to things," says O'Gorman.
The small town of Chittenden could soon be home to a very big sugaring operation this spring.
The project would span nearly 2,800 acres for maple syrup production. Josh O’Gorman, who’s been covering the story for the Rutland Herald, joins host Mitch Wertlieb for this Friday’s Regional Report.
O’Gorman says Chittenden resident Patrick Dupois recently purchased the large section of land and plans install over 80,000 maple syrup taps this spring alone.
“He’s definitely going to be on the map, I guess, of the maple sugaring world, no doubt about it,” O'Gorman says.
Dupois plans on selling the syrup he produces wholesale, rather than directly to customers. Dupois is also the president of Vermont Lumber and Stoneworks, headquartered in Nashua, N.H.
O’Gorman says he was surprised how little opposition there was to the proposed project, given its scale, at a community board meeting.
“I went into this meeting expecting there would be the typical NIMBY [Not In My Backyard] opposition to things,” says O’Gorman, “I mean people are opposed to wind projects in this state.”
However, much of the community was supportive of the plan. O’Gorman said the area where the taps will be installed is home to a number of summer camps. Owners of the camps were at the meeting, and all said they were in favor of the project.
“They all voiced their support for this project, and all talked about how the owner Patrick Dupuis has been around and talked to them one-on-one.”
O’Gorman says so far there have not been any major road blocks for the project, and it is expected to begin next spring.
