Clean Up Lake Champlain

Grant Funds and Technical Assistance Available

Lake Champlain is a vital natural resource that serves as a source of drinking water, recreation, and biodiversity. However, like many bodies of water, it faces challenges from pollution, invasive species, and climate change.

Cleaning up Lake Champlain is essential to preserve our beautiful and important ecosystem for future generations.

How can you help? And more importantly, how can we help you?
Do you…?

• Live on a river, stream, or lake?
• Own forest land with roads or waterways in need of maintenance to prevent further erosion?
• Own property with wetlands or is located within a floodplain?

If so, the State of Vermont has grant funding available to improve your property, and we are looking for projects to help address erosion, run off, and drainage problems.

Who is “we”?

Addison County Regional Planning Commission (ACRPC) is the Clean Water Service Provider (CWSP) designated by the State of Vermont for the Otter Creek Basin. The CWSP works closely with local partners such as conservation districts, watershed groups, and foresters.

What is the purpose of this program?

The ultimate goal of this program is to reduce runoff, erosion, and drainage problems on your land to prevent phosphorous from entering our waterways and traveling to Lake Champlain.

What is phosphorous?

Phosphorus is one of the nutrient pollutants found in runoff and is the greatest threat to clean water in Lake Champlain. Too much phosphorus pollution leads to cyanobacteria blooms and other issues such as turning Lake Champlain water green and can be toxic to pets and people.

How does this program work?

First, tell us about your property and concerns. From there, we will determine if your project fits the funding parameters which will require a visit from our staff or local partners to your property.

What is required of landowners?

If it is determined your property concerns meet the necessary criteria for project implementation, landowners will be required to sign site access documentation to allow necessary parties to access the project site during and after the implementation, to verify the success of the project, and perform regular maintenance. Property owners will receive proper notice or any visits, and all details will be outlined in the agreement.

What towns does this apply to?

Specifically, we serve 54 towns in 6 counties primarily in Addison and Ruland Counties. If you do not see your town on our list or if you live outside of Basin 3, we can check to see if your property sits in the Lake Champlain and Memphremagog Basins served by CWSPs.

What projects do NOT apply?

Regulatory projects (required by law or permit) are NOT eligible for this program. Funded projects must be voluntary.

What is the source of these funds?

Funding is coordinated by the CWSP and are administered by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation under Act 76, which allocates funding for clean water projects to meet pollution reduction targets.

Ok, I am ready to find out more. Who do I call?

Call ACRPC at 802-388-3141 for Danelle Birong (ext 6) or Mike Winslow (ext 7). Or email [email protected] or [email protected].