At 6 am on Thursday, January 17 2008, Lowe's opened its doors in South Burlington. The store, whose construction and opening was delayed for over five years due to disagreements over storm-water and run-off laws, operated a branchs in every other US state except Vermont until now. The 106,000 square foot store, which employs 160, took only 85 days to build, compared to the normal 120 days.
The store's arrival sparked controversy after its construction was continously halted when The Conservation Law Foundation challenged the stores permit. The CLF claimed the permit did not meet the state's strict standards for run-off regulations because of the large area of its parking lot. Large areas of asphalt, the CLF argued, catch oil leaks from cars and other toxins, which drain into streams from runoff when it rains. The asphalt also prevents the ground from absorbing rain so that the streams erode more quickly as the water is washed into adjacent streams, in this case Potash Brook.
Lowe's Finally Opens in Vermont
Submitted by tim
on