Public Meeting

The Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee (VTCAC) meeting will be held Monday, April 10th, 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Shelburne Town Offices, Meeting Room 1.  

Learn more about the proposed federal budget cuts and the implications for Lake Champlain.

Speakers

Tom Berry, Field Representative and Policy Advisor
Office of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy

Haley Pero, Outreach Specialist
Office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders

Katie Thomas, Policy Advisor for Energy and Environment
Office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.

George Twigg, State Director
Office of U.S. Representative Peter Welch

Breck Bowden, Director
Lake Champlain Basin Program

Eric Howe, Director
Lake Champlain Sea Grant

A draft agenda is below. To RSVP, email Bethany Sargent.

Draft Agenda

5:00 – 5:15 pm
Introductions and announcements (5 min)
Public comments (5 - 10 min)

5:15 – 6:30 pm
Presentation: Proposed federal budget cuts and the implications for Lake Champlain (75 min)

6:30 – 7:00 pm
Review and vote on March 13th meeting summary (5 min)
Clean Water Funding Report legislative update (10 min)
Discuss and set next meeting topic (10 min)
Other business (5)

Adjourn

The Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee (VTCAC) meeting will be held Monday, March 13th, 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Shelburne Town Offices, Meeting Room 1.  

Presentation: Treasurer’s Report on Funding for Clean Water
Presenter: State Treasurer Beth Pearce                                       

The Clean Water Fund was established in June 2015 when Governor Shumlin signed into law Act 64, the Vermont Clean Water Act. The 0.2 percent surcharge on the property transfer tax on properties over $100,000, which supports the Clean Water Fund, sunsets by July 2018. As required by Act 64, the Office of the State Treasurer, in partnership with the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Taxes and other state agencies, submitted a report recommending how to fund water quality improvements in Vermont to the State Legislature in January. A 25-minute presentation on this report by State Treasurer Pearce will be followed by a 30-minute question and answer session. Kari Dolan, Clean Water Initiative Program Manager, will also be available to answer questions.

Online: Office of the State Treasurer Clean Water Report (January 15, 2017) 
Appendix A–C (Clean Water Report)
Appendix D (Public Comment, Clean Water Report)

For more information, email Bethany Sargent.

The public is invited to attend the Clean Water Fund Board meeting on February 22, 2017 from 2:30 to 3:30 pm at the Winooski Room, National Life. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by emailing emily.bird@vermont.gov. Please see the Clean Water Fund budget process webpage for more details.

The Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee (VTCAC) meeting, including the presentation of the draft Opportunities for Action by Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) Executive Director Eric Howe, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 21st, 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Shelburne Town Offices, Meeting Room 1.  A draft agenda is below.

Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
(originally scheduled February 13, 2017)
5:00 – 7:00 pm

Shelburne Town Offices
Meeting Room 1
5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne

AGENDA (Draft)

5:00 - 5:20 pm
Introductions and announcements (5 min)         
Public comments (5 min)             
Review and vote on January 9th meeting summary (5 min)       

5:20 - 6:20 pm
Presentation: Opportunities for Action  (60 min)
LCBP Program Director Eric Howe will present a summary of the updated version of Opportunities for Action, the long-term management plan for the Lake Champlain Basin. Question and answer session to follow. (40-minute presentation, followed by 20-minute Q & A)

Public comments on the plan will be accepted via electronic mail to ofaonline@lcbp.org through March 6, 2017. Comments may also be submitted in hardcopy to the LCBP, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, Vermont 05458.

Online: Opportunities for Action - http://www.lcbp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/draft-Opportunities-for-Action-2017_Jan-21.pdf 

6:20 - 7:00 pm
Legislative Day review and follow-up (15 min)
Debrief on Action Plan presentations to Gov., legislative committees, and discuss feedback and next steps.
Discuss and set next meeting topics and back-up (15 min)
Other business (10 min)
Adjourn 

The public is invited to attend the Clean Water Fund Board meeting on February 10, 2017 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm at the Catamount Room, National Life. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by emailing emily.bird@vermont.gov. 

Shelburne Town Offices
Meeting Room 2
5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT

AGENDA (Draft)

Introductions and announcements (5 min)
Public comments (5 min)
Discuss and act on leadership transition (20 min)
Staff update (5 min)
      FY17 budget report
      Committee member terms
Working session: Review and revise DRAFT 2017 Lake Champlain Action Plan (30 min)
Discuss Legislative Day (10 min)
Discuss potential topics, presenters, and venue options for upcoming meetings (10 min)
Review and vote on December 12th meeting summary (5 min)
Other business (5 min)
Adjourn

The public is invited to attend a working meeting of the Clean Water Fund Board on December 1, 2016 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at the Catamount Room, National Life. The Board will be reviewing the final draft Clean Water Initiative Annual Performance Report. For more information, visit the Clean Water Fund Budget Process webpage. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by emailing emily.bird@vermont.gov.

Shelburne Town Offices
Meeting Room 2
5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT

AGENDA (Draft)

Introductions and announcements (5 min)
Public comments (5 min)
Working session: Review and revise DRAFT 2017 Lake Champlain Action Plan (90 min)
Review and vote on November 14th meeting minutes (5 min)
Other business (5 min)
Adjourn

Shelburne Town Offices
Meeting Room 2
5420 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT

AGENDA (Draft)

Introductions and announcements (5 min)
Public comments (5 min)
Working session: 2017 Lake Champlain Action Plan (90 min)
Approve October 17th meeting minutes (5 min)
Other business (5 min)
Adjourn