VNRC has worked hard to take proactive steps to protect existing high quality waters and restore those that are degraded. Over the summer of 2000, VNRC conducted research to determine the gaps in current programs that assist farmers in cleaning up agricultural runoff. Runoff from farm operations is the largest source of uncontrolled nutrients into Lake Champlain and other rivers and lakes statewide. VNRC along with other environmental and farm organizations formed the Coalition for Sustainable Agriculture. VNRC will push hard this legislative session to get farmers the funding and technical assistance they need to clean up polluted runoff.
Large farms have a higher risk of serious nutrient and bacteria pollution into our rivers and lakes.
Indeed, some dams are a liability to the dam owner rather than being an asset. VNRC is currently pursuing analysis of the approximately two thousand small dams in Vermont to determine which may be a candidate for removal and river restoration. Again, VNRC has continued to bear down on ANR, insisting that it generate high-quality TMDLs for the 126 impaired waters in the State of Vermont. VNRC is currently engaged in intense dialogue with EPA and ANR to ensure that the TMDLs, the first of which are now under development, are sound and will actually result in attainment of the water quality standards. In addition to providing critical habitat for innumerable species, wetlands also function as nature's filters, removing a variety of water borne pollutants.