Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation announced Friday that the Environmental Court has issued an Order against Meadowcrest Campground, LLC for violations of the Vermont Water Supply Rules at the Meadowcrest Campground in Marshfield. The Order requires the campground owner to pay a $9,000 penalty and to implement various corrective actions. Meadowcrest owns and operates a Public Transient Non-Community (TNC) Water System which serves the Campground. The system serves approximately fifty-six people through twelve travel-trailer sites, two tent sites, and a one-bedroom house. On March 15, 2011, Meadowcrest received authorization from the Department to operate the system under the General Operating Permit for Class 1 A TNC Public Drinking Water Systems. Since 2012, Meadowcrest has been issued eleven Notices of Alleged Violation (NOAV) for failing to conduct coliform sampling, and three additional NOAVs for failing to conduct inorganic chemical monitoring, as required by the General Operating Permit and Vermont Water Supply Rule.
Total coliform sampling is important because it serves as indication that harmful bacteria are not present in the water. Inorganic chemical monitoring further indicates whether the water is safe to drink.
When multiple efforts to reach a resolution failed, the Agency filed an Administrative Order on behalf of the Department with the Environmental Court on July 10, 2016. The Administrative Order requires Meadowcrest to pay a penalty and bring the Meadowcrest Campground water system into compliance with their General Operating Permit and governing state and federal regulations. On July 21, 2016, the Court issued a final Judicial Order affirming the Agency’s Administrative Order and imposing a penalty of $9,000. In addition to the penalty, the Court imposed corrective actions designed to address the campground’s outstanding compliance issues and to protect public health by ensuring safe drinking water.
“It is our job to ensure Vermonters have safe drinking water,” said Alyssa Schuren, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner. “We use all the tools at our disposal to gain compliance, and when violators fail to act, we must compel the necessary protections.”
The Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation works to preserve, enhance, restore, and conserve Vermont's natural resources, and protect human health for the benefit of this and future generations. The Department of Environmental Conservation administers federally-delegated and state environmental laws.