The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC) are jointly holding a series of six meetings to discuss progress on the Lake Champlain Phosphorus cleanup plan, technically referred to as the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The first round of meetings will be from October 4-6, 2011.
These meetings are the next step in gathering stakeholder input on practices, policies, and funding commitments necessary to achieve phosphorus pollution load reductions required by the TMDL. The meetings will also explore additional actions that should be taken if certain nonpoint source actions are not implemented according to the established timeline. Participants will also hear from a technical team tasked with updating and analyzing watershed and lake modeling data. These meetings will build on progress described in the Revised Implementation Plan for the Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL, dated January 15, 2010.
The VTDEC conducted a public process during 2009 which led to a Revised Implementation Plan for the Lake Champlain TMDL. The January 2010 revised plan presented approximately 200 strategies for improving water quality in Lake Champlain. The 2010 implementation plan will be used as a starting point for the upcoming discussions, and is available at: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/cleanandclear/news/TMDL%20impl%20plan%20final...
Each of the meetings will focus on one sector, giving USEPA and VTDEC the opportunity to hear in depth how agencies, organizations and individuals should help implement the TMDL, factors that hinder compliance with the TMDL, and recommendations for next steps, if compliance is unsatisfactory.
The first series of meetings will occur October 4-7, 2011 and will focus principally on the northern half of the Lake Champlain Basin. A second series of meetings, focusing on the southern half of the watershed and the role of statewide conservation organizations, is scheduled for November 14-18, 2011.
The six sectors to be discussed at the first series of meetings that will be specific for the northern half of the Lake Champlain Basin include: northern lake committees, northern municipalities, agricultural interests, nonprofit organizations, stormwater/urban interests, and business interests. If you are unable to attend any of these meetings, USEPA and VTDEC would still like to hear from you. Please view the contact information below to arrange other options to participate:
1. Tuesday October 4, 10am ‘ 12pm
Agricultural Sector
Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (NRCD)
617 Comstock Rd, Suite 1
Berlin, VT
Phone: (802) 828-4493 Ext. 113
► (meet in the UVM Extension conference room in the complex)
2. Tuesday October 4, 3-5pm
Northern Municipality Sector
Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC)
155 Lake Street
St. Albans, VT
(802) 524-5958
► (meet at NRPC offices)
3. Wednesday October 5, 11:30am-1:30pm
Business Sector
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce & Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation
60 Main Street, #100
Burlington, VT
(802) 863-3489
► (meet at LCRCOC offices)
4. Wednesday October 5, 5:30-7:30pm
Nonprofit/Mid-lake Watershed Group Sector
ECHO/Leahy Center
1 College St.
Burlington, VT
(802) 864-1848
► (meet in Alcove upstairs)
5. Thursday October 6, 10am-12pm
Northern Lake Committee Sector
Lake Champlain Basin Program
54 West Shore Rd.
Grand Isle, VT
(802) 372-3213
► (meet at LCBP offices)
6. Thursday October 6, 2-4pm
Stormwater/Urban Sector
Lake Champlain Committee
208 Flynn Avenue, Building 3, Studio 3F
Burlington, VT
(802) 658-1414
► (meet at LCC offices)
Meetings are open to the public, and space may be limited, so please RSVP to ensure that space is arranged accordingly. To RSVP for a particular meeting of interest, please contact by e-mail: Michaela Stickney, VTDEC Lake Champlain Basin Coordinator, [email protected]