by Bill Stenger, President, Jay Peak Resort The August 19 VTDigger article (JAY PEAK FAILS TO MEET WATER QUALITY TARGETS IN SETTLEMENT WITH STATE, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP) falls short in providing timely, accurate and balanced reporting concerning the ground-breaking Settlement Agreement reached in February between Jay Peak Resort, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the environmental group Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC). The article focuses on the past and provides little insight to the present.
Bill Stenger
It will be worthwhile for readers to know that since 2011 Jay Peak has been implementing remedial measures to improve wetland and stream quality and that the natural process that responds to these man-made improvements takes a significant amount of time. When State representatives say they are optimistic that interim [water quality] targets will be met going forward, their comment is based on knowledge of Jay Peak’s recent actions and commitment to improving stream quality. The VTDigger article provides no reference to the past five years of positive actions taken by Jay Peak.
A case in point of Jay Peak’s commitment to improving stream quality is noted in the VTDigger article which references a statement made by a Jay Peak official in a letter to VNRC stating that sedimentation control measures will proceed this year whether they are counted or not. Readers would have benefited to be informed that Jay Peak has committed resources to remedial actions even though many of them are not required at this time by the settlement agreement. This approach, and measures such as those being taken this summer and fall, illustrate that Jay Peak is committed to turning the page on the past and moving into the future as a dedicated steward of the environment.
Readers would also benefit by knowing that of the four sites that were subjected to interim water quality targets, two of the four exceeded the targets – the article’s headline simply speaks to failures only while credit should also be given to successes. Jay Peak embraces the restrictions on future projects because they are confident that the measures being taken will result in more successes.
Jay Peak looks forward to meeting with state and environmental groups and to exceeding the goal set by Vermont’s Water Quality Standards. The year-long discussions that lead to the three-party Settlement Agreement also created a strong relationship between the parties that will promote incremental positive, constructive progress towards this goal. To that end, Jay Peak wants Vermont residents to know all sides of the story behind its recent development and its commitment to clean water.
The VTDigger article was also distributed by Vermont Business Magazine's weekly environmental e-newsletter August 20.