PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release – September 30, 2024
Media Contact:
Ben Copans, Watershed Planner
Department of Environmental Conservation
802-490-6143, Ben.Copans@Vermont.gov
Public Invited to Comment on Water Quality Plans for the Connecticut River
Montpelier, Vt. – The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) invites the public to comment on three tactical basin plans in the Connecticut River watersheds of the White, Deerfield, and Passumpsic Rivers. DEC completed the plans in collaboration with regional planners, local nonprofits, town officials, and public stakeholders. These plans have been developed to protect and restore the rivers, lakes, and wetlands in these watersheds.
“Tactical Basin Plans serve as a strategic guidebook to address water quality challenges for the next five years, so we strongly encourage public feedback to ensure the plans meet the diversity of local needs,” said DEC Commissioner Jason Batchelder. “The importance of these plans has become even more critical as we prepare for the more frequent extreme rainfall and flooding events we have seen in recent years.”
The Tactical Basin Plans identify actions and priority strategies that will:
- Protect or improve water quality,
- Restore aquatic habitats,
- Improve flood resiliency, and
- Prevent future pollution through cost-effective projects, including floodplain restorations, dam removals, and conservation.
“Tactical Basin Plans help our communities plan on a watershed scale,” said Margo Ghia, Natural Resources Planner for the Windham Regional Commission. “Being able to look at a region and see water quality issues in a larger context gives us an opportunity to manage a problem from its root and not just take care of the symptoms.”
DEC will hold hybrid meetings with virtual and in-person options in each watershed:
White River:
October 17, 2024 – 6:00 PM
- In-Person: Royalton Academy Building, 4182 VT Route 14, Royalton, VT 05068
October 24, 2024 – 6:00 PM
- In-Person: Bethel Town Hall, 318 Main Street, Bethel, VT 05032
- Virtual Access: Visit the basin webpage to find virtual meeting links.
Deerfield River:
October 15, 2024 – 4:30 PM
- In-Person: Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301
- Virtual Access: Register in advance for this meeting.
October 17, 2024 – 6:00 PM
- In-Person: Wilmington Town Office, 2 East Main St., Wilmington, VT 05363
- Virtual Access: Register in advance for this meeting.
Passumpsic River:
October 22, 2024 – 5:30 PM
- In-Person: Agency of Natural Resources, 374 Emerson Falls Road - Caledonia Conference Room, St Johnsbury, VT 05819 (park and enter on the left side of the building)
- Virtual Access: Visit the basin webpage to find the virtual meeting link.
Members of the public can submit comments on all three draft plans from October 1, 2024, to October 31, 2024, by mail or email to:
- White River: Keith Fritschie, Keith.Fritschie@Vermont.gov, VT DEC, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620
- Deerfield River: Marie Caduto, Marie.Caduto@Vermont.gov, VT DEC, 100 Mineral Street, Suite 303, Springfield, VT 05156.
- Passumpsic River: Ben Copans, Ben.Copans@Vermont.gov, VT DEC, 374 Emerson Falls Road - Suite 4, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
To find the public meeting details, draft plans, and visual and map-based plan summaries (known as Story Maps), visit the DEC’s Watershed Planning Program’s website.
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The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for protecting Vermont's natural resources and safeguarding human health for the benefit of this and future generations. Visit dec.vermont.gov and follow the Department of Environmental Conservation on Facebook and Instagram.
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