Montpelier, Vt. – Over the last three years, the State investment in clean water has more than tripled, and its completed more than 1,400 water quality improvement projects. The newly-released Clean Water Investment Report and Clean Water Project Dashboard give all Vermonters insight into where and why dollars have been spent.
“Clean water is vital to the health and well-being of Vermonters and to the Vermont economy,” said Governor Phil Scott. “In the last two years, we’ve invested more than $100 million in water quality projects, improved 15,000 acres of agricultural lands and conserved or restored more than 1,500 acres of river corridors, floodplains, and wetlands.”
Vermonters can now track the projects that have been implemented in their town, such as the Passumpsic River Dam Removal at Burke Hollow Road in East Burke. This project will help to re-establish the natural conditions of the river by reconnecting 99 miles of stream. People interested in learning more about state-funded water quality projects can use the new Clean Water Projects Dashboard to search for projects by region or topic area and download individual reports.
“While individual clean water projects are often modest in scope and limited in their everyday visibility, their cumulative effect across the landscape is significant,” said Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore. “The Investment Report and the Dashboard help the public visualize the impact of state investments and highlight the all-in approach we’re taking alongside other state agencies and local partners to complete these projects.”
The public is invited to the upcoming Clean Water Investment Report and Clean Water Dashboard presentation on Thursday, February 14 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in the Winooski Conference Room (M240) at the National Life Building in Montpelier or online at https://tiny.cc/lecture-series. Staff from the Department of Environmental Conservation will share more about the report, including how the State tracks clean water investments and analyzes the results.
For more information on the 2018 Clean Water Investment Report, the Clean Water Projects Dashboard, or the upcoming presentation, visit the Clean Water Initiative Program website at dec.vermont.gov/watershed/cwi.