It was claimed that key development projects in the Champlain Valley would be stopped, and that the ruling was extreme and should be corrected through appeals and legislative action. What was overlooked in the debate was that the Water Resources Board was simply enforcing the law as it was written, and that mechanisms existed within the law to fix the problem. Therefore it is gratifying to hear that Gov. Howard Dean and Agency Secretary Scott Johnstone intend to seek solutions in the context of current law. To do this effectively will require substantial resources and commitment. Similarly, the city of South Burlington is working creatively to address a broad range of storm water issues, again with existing legal mechanisms.
Storm water is a major problem.
Runoff from impervious surfaces in urban and suburban areas, such as parking lots, has replaced agricultural runoff as the leading cause of the declining quality of the waters of Lake Champlain. Lowe's and other stores in this development on the west side of Shelburne Road constitute 279,000 square feet of building space and 1,300 parking places. Creative resources are required to address storm water in such areas. Vermonters have clearly indicated that clean water is a priority. It is not acceptable that we continue to degrade the waters of Lake Champlain and its tributaries.