Vermont Business Magazine The Rutland Regional Planning Commission (RRPC) has announced that the Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Division has awarded the RRPC a contract to administer water quality improvement programs in partnership with the 11 Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) across the State of Vermont. Funded through the 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant Program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this initiative aims to promote water quality planning and improvements statewide.
Regional Planning Commissions will use the funding for the following initiatives:
- River Basin Planning / Assessment Project Compilation: This task focuses on supporting statewide partners in developing and advancing water quality improvement projects for inclusion in DEC’s Watershed Projects Database. Efforts prioritize projects identified through Tactical Basin Planning that demonstrate strong pollution reduction potential and are ready for implementation, helping to restore and protect Vermont’s water resources.
- Municipal Outreach and Coordination for WISPr Projects: This work involves engaging municipalities to identify and develop Water Infrastructure Sponsorship Program (WISPr) projects. It includes outreach to interested towns, helping them understand eligibility, and providing initial coordination to move viable projects toward development.
- Enhancing Regional Planning for Water Quality Protection: This task supports regional collaboration with municipalities to improve access to water quality programs, address barriers, and advance resilience and environmental justice. It includes working with towns to identify priority projects, developing watershed or resilience plans, and incorporating community input—particularly around flooding and infrastructure needs—into planning and project prioritization.
“The RRPC is proud to continue playing a key role in supporting statewide water quality planning through the 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant Program,” said Devon Neary, RRPC Executive Director. “The 604(b) Program enables Vermont’s Regional Planning Commissions to collaboratively advance tactical basin planning services. This ongoing effort is essential to safeguarding Vermont's surface waters, which are critical for protecting natural resources, bolstering our economy, and building resilience in our communities.”
As part of this initiative, RRPC will solicit water quality planning work plans from partner RPCs and administer sub-awards for eligible projects. Work under this contract is expected to be completed by September 15, 2026.
(Rutland, VT) – April 9, 2026 – The Rutland Regional Planning Commission
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