>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR SAVING OUR WATERS IS PROVIDED BY VERMONT EPSCoR, FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, SUPPORTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH IN VERMONT COLLEGES AND BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGING YOUNG VERMONTERS TO SEEK CAREERS IN SCIENCE.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY: AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

♪ >> HI, I'M FRAN STODDARD.

WELCOME TO A CONTINUING DISCUSSION ON SAVING OUR WATERS.

TODAY WE ARE IN SAINT ALBANS AT THE 14TH STAR BREWERY TO TALK ABOUT CLEAN WATER AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS, FARMS, COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMY.

SEVERE FLOODING, POLLUTION AND ALGAL BLOOMS ARE THREATENING MUCH OF WHAT VERMONTERS HOLD DEAR.

TONIGHT WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO BECOME MORE RESILIENT TO THESE ATHTHREATS.

THE VIDEOS ARE ENLIGHTENING AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMPLEX.

TO HELP US TO FURTHER UNTANGLE THIS ISSUE WE HAVE INVITED SCIENTISTS, ADVOCATES AND POLICY MAKERS FOR DEEPER DISCUSSIONS.

JOINING US TODAY ARE DOCTOR ANDREW SCHROTH, A SCIENTIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, CHUCK ROSS, DIRECTOR OF UVM EXTENSION AND LORI FISHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE.

EACH WILL SPEAK FOR A FEW MINUTES ABOUT THEIR WORK AND WE WILL EXPLORE A FEW ISSUES BEFORE WE OPEN THE SESSION TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR AUDIENCE HERE IN SAINT ALBANS AND ON LINE.

PLEASE SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS VIA FACEBOOK OR TWITTER.

AND NOW ON TO OUR PANEL.

DR.

ANDREW SCHROTH IS AN ASSOCIATE RESEARCH PROFESSOR AT UVM AND THE VERMONT EPSCoR NATURAL SCIENCE TEAM CO-LEADER.

HE RECEIVED HIS DEGREES IN EARTH SCIENCE FROM COLGATE AND NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITIES AND ALSO DARTH MOUTH COLLEGE, FOCUSING ON NUTRIENT AND POLLUTANT MOBILITY IN SOILS, LAKES, STREAMS AND OCEANS.

PRIOR TO JOINING UVM AND THE FACULTY THERE, HE WAS A RESEARCH SCIENCEIST AT THE U.S.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ANDREW, SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

SO WHY DON'T YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR -- THE WORK YOU ARE CONDUCTING AND WHAT YOU ARE FINDING ABOUT THIS AREA.

>> THANK YOU, FRAN.

THE WORK THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING HERE HAS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING HOW NUTRIENTS MOVE THROUGH OUR SOILS AND STREAMS AND ULTIMATELY INTO LAKE CHAMPLAIN, THE CONCENTRATIONS, THE CHEMICSTRY OF THOSE NUT NUTRIENTS.

WE DO A LOT OF WORK IN THE MISSISQUOI BASIN AND SAINT ALBANS, CYANOBACTERIA, HOW STRONG THEY ARE AND WHAT SHUTS THEM DOWN.

>> CYANOBACTERIA.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED HERE IN THE STATE OF VERMONT, PARTICULARLY OUR SHALLOW BAYS.

>> THANKS.

>> SO THERE IS KIND OF A PROCESS COMPONENT TO OUR RESEARCH THAT REALLY RELIES HEAVILY ON ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA, BUT THE OTHER PART OF THIS EPSCoR PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT'S KIND OF AN INTEGRAL CROSS DISCIPLINARY PIECE IS TAKING THOSE MEASUREMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING IN THE WATERSHED AND LAKE AND TURNING THOSE INTO COMPUTATIONAL MODELS THAT WE CAN USE TO PROJECT THE DRIVERS OF WATER QUALITY AND HOW WATER QUALITY AND THE SYSTEM RESPONDS TO DIFFERENT EVENTS ACROSS THE WATERSHED AND LAKE AND WE COUPLE THOSE WITH SOCIAL SCIENCE MODELS AROUND LAND USE, GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMICS SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF THE SOCIO ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM.

WE CAN HIT THAT WITH AGENTS OF CHANGE, AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, MAKE IT MORE RESILIENT, VERSUS WHERE WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE WORK.

>> OKAY.

AND WHAT WE AS HUMANS CAN DO ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE INTERACT WITH THAT SYSTEM.

>> YES.

>> AWESOME.

WE WILL GET BACK TO MORE ON THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE CHUCK ROSS, THE DIRECTOR OF UVM EXTENSION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT.

BEFORE UVM HE SERVED FOR SIX YEARS AS VERMONT'S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND 16 YEARS AS STATE DIRECTOR FOR U.S.

SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY.

HE SERVED THREE TERMS AS A VERMONT REPRESENTATIVE.

HE ALSO MANAGES HIS FAMILY FARM IN HINESBURG.

HE HOLDS A BA AND MASTERS IN GEOGRAPHY FROM UVM AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN THIS FIELD FOR A LONG TIME, BUT FOR CHANGES IN FARMING PRACTICES AND HOW THIS MIGHT IMPACT WHAT ECONOMIC PLI PLICATIONS THESE CHANGES ARE HAVING.

>> THANKS, FRAN.

I THINK WHAT WE CAN START OFF SAYING IS WE UNQUESTIONABLY HAVE A PROBLEM, AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE DEBATED WHETHER WE HAVE A PROBLEM OR NOT.

AND IT'S CLEAR WE DO, AND IT'S CLEAR THAT WE ARE ALL CONTRIBUTORS.

MY ROLE AS SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND NOW AS DIRECTOR OF UVM EXTENSION WHERE WE WORK ON RESEARCH, EDUCATION OUTREACH AND DEMONSTRATION, AIMED AT HELPING THE FARMING COMMUNITY MOVE IN NEW DIRECTIONS, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE HAUNTED OUR CONTRIBUTIONS AS FARMERS TO OUR WATER QUALITY PROBLEM.

THE PRACTICES THAT WE ARE HELPING FARMERS LEARN ABOUT AND THEN IMPLEMENT IN SOME CASES ARE NOT NECESSARILY NEW.

SOME OF THE FARMERS IN THE STATE HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING PRACTICES FOR A LONG TIME THAT ARE REALLY GOOD FOR WATER QUALITY, AND THOSE PRACTICES INCLUDE COVER CROPPING AND CONSERVATION TILLAGE AND THE MANURE INJECTION, AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO IMPLEMENT.

WHAT'S INTERESTING AND CAN BE CHALLENGING IS THAT EACH ONE OF THESE FARMS IS DIFFERENT.

THEY ARE A DIFFERENT SCALE, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT HISTORY, A DIFFERENT ECONOMIC FOUNDATION, BECAUSE THEY ARE INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES.

AND SO THE IMPLICATIONS FOR ADDRESSING THE CHANGES THAT THEY MAY NEED WILL VARY FROM FARM TO FARM.

SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING SOME OF THESE CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND ALREADY BEEN MAKING A CONTRIBUTION AND SOME OF THEM THIS MAY BE A BRAND-NEW SET OF CHALLENGES THEY HAVE TO IMPLEMENT.

SOME OF THEM REQUIRE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRACTICES THAT REQUIRE REAL INVESTMENTS IN MONEY, AND DEPENDING UPON WHERE THEY ARE AT, WHAT KIND OF FARMING THEY ARE DOING, IT COULD BE A REAL CHALLENGE.

WHAT WE CAN SAY RIGHT NOW DAIRY FARMING IS THE BIGGEST FARMING PRACTICE, INDUSTRY, IN THE STATE AND IT'S A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW WITH THE PRICING OF MILK AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.

SO THIS DOESN'T COME AT A PARTICULARLY GREAT TIME FOR THE FARMING COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY HAVE TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT.

IT ENDS UP BEING A BUSINESS STRETCH IN MANY CASES FOR THESE FARMERS TO IMPLEMENT THINGS AT THIS EXACT MOMENT IN TIME.

THERE IS ALWAYS AN INTERESTING IN FIGURING OUT WHAT CAN YOU IMPLEMENT, WHEN CAN YOU DO IT AND WHEN ARE THE RESOURCES GOING TO BE AVAILABLE THAT ARE ON THE TABLE IN SOME CASES TO HELP THEM.

>> AND IN A LONG RUN, HOPEFULLY SOME OF THOSE CHANGES ALSO WILL HELP THEIR ECONOMIC BASE AND THEIR FARMS IN GENERAL.

>> WHICH IS WHY ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY FARMERS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS ALREADY BECAUSE COVER CROPPING IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD FOR THE SOIL.

IT INTRODUCES MORE ORGANIC MATTER, ALLOWS THE SOIL TO HOLD ONTO WATER LONGER AND INCREASES FERTILITY.

SO THAT'S A PRACTICE THAT SOME FARMERS HAD ALREADY ADOPTED.

JUST LIKE CONSERVATION TILLAGE, WHICH MEANS THEY MAY HAVE TO PASS OVER THEIR LAND FEWER TIMES, LESS -- THAT SAVES THEM MONEY.

IF THE RIGHT EDUCATION IS PROVIDED AND YOU WORK WITH THE FARMER AND THEIR BUSINESS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO FOLD IT IN, IT CAN ACTUALLY BE A GOOD THING FOR THE FARM TO DO.

>> THANK YOU.

NOW WE ARE ON TO LORI FISHER.

SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BI-STATE LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMM COMMITTEE.

SHE HAS 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

SHE SHARES THE VERMONT CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SERVES ON THE POLICY AND STEERING COMMITTEES OF THE NATIONAL AMERICA'S GREAT WATERS COALITION.

SHE IS A TWO-TIME RECIPIENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S AWARD.

YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL NON-PROFIT.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ADVOCACY GROUP, WHAT IT DOES, WHAT IT'S TRYING TO DO AND WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT ADVOCACY GROUPS ARE FEELING ARE URGENT AT THIS TIME?

>> SURE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE.

THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE IS A BI-STATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING FOR A HEALTHY ACCESSIBLE LAKE, AND WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION, WE USE SCIENCE-BASED ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND COLLABORATIVE ACTION.

NONE OF THIS GOOD WORK HAPPENS ALONE.

WE NEED TO BE IN THIS TOGETHER, SO WE FOCUS ON WATER QUALITY PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT AND SAFEGUARDING HAPPEN -- HABITATS AND STRONGLY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

WE FEEL THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL PROGRAMS THAT WE RUN INCLUDE THE CYANOBACTERIA MONITORING PROGRAM.

CYANOBACTERIA CAME MORE PROMINENT, THERE WERE TWO DOG DEATHS THAT PRECIPITATED CONCERN AND THEY WERE LINKED TO CYANOBACTERIA OUTBREAKS.

WE LAUNCHED THIS MONITORING PROGRAM AND WE OVERSEE OVER A HUNDRED SITES ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND IN THE LAKES WE DO ALL THE RECRUITING AND TRAINING FOR MONITORS, BUT WE ENGAGE THE CITIZENS IN DOING THAT, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF OUR MONITORS HERE TONIGHT.

THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLY DEDICATED BUNCH WHO GO OUT ON AT LEAST A WEEKLY BASIS TO MONITOR THE SITES, REPORT BACK, AND THEN THAT DATA IS ALL MADE PUBLICALLY ACCESSIBLE ON THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S WEBSITE, SO IT'S AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY WITH INTERNET ACCESS.

AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT, NOT ONLY TO OUR MONITORS TO GIVE THEM FEEDBACK ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE LAKE, BUT ALSO TO INTERESTED CITIZENS.

SO I ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU TO SIGN UP TO GET THOSE WEEKLY REPORTS FROM US.

AND WE ALSO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE MEDIA BECAUSE WE WANT TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

SO THIS IS SORT OF ONE EXAMPLE.

WE ALSO DO WORK ON INVASIVE SPECIES.

WE ARE DOING A MONITORING AND INVENTORY PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR OVER -- I THINK THIS WILL BE OUR SIXTH OR SEVENTH YEAR.

A LOT OF THE STATE'S MONITORING DOESN'T GO IN THAT AREA PARTICULARLY FOR VEGETATION, AND THROUGH THAT EFFORT WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING WATER CHESTNUT HARVESTING PROGRAMS.

AGAIN SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT FOR THOSE VOLUNTEER PROJECTS ARE HERE TONIGHT, AND WE TRY AND EMPHASIZE THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS ACTIVE STEWARDSHIP.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN IS A PUBLICLY HELD RESOURCE.

WE OWN IT.

IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF IT, AND IT REFLECTS OUR VALUES AS A SOCIETY, AND AS CHUCK NOTED AND ANDREW HAS NOTED, AND THIS WHOLE SERIES, SAVING OUR WATERS, IS ABOUT WE HAVE A CHALLENGE AND LAKE CHAMPLAIN'S HEALTH IS THREATENED AND WE NEED ALL OF US TO GET ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN PROTECTING IT.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU, LORI.

SO A FEW MORE QUESTIONS.

ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I REALLY BECAME AWARE OF WAS THIS LEGACY, LEGACY NUTRIENTS, LEGACY POLLUTION, MEANING IT'S BEEN DECADES, IF NOT HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THAT NUTRIENTS HAVE BEEN FLOWING DOWN OUR WATERWAYS AND REACHING THE LAKE.

ANDREW, IF YOU COULD DISCUSS LIKE WHEN ARE THESE RELEASED?

HOW DO THOSE AFFECT US?

IS CLIMATE CHANGE OR SEASONALLY WHEN ARE THESE LEGACY -- THESE LEGACY LAYERS UNBONDED FROM THE SEDIMENT?

>> SURE.

I THINK TO GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE, WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LEGACY PHOSPHORUS.

I COMPARTMENT ALLIES IT IN MY HEAD.

LEGACY PHOSPHORUS THAT'S IN THE SOILS OF THE AGRICULTURAL LAND, THIS IS PHOSPHORUS THAT HAS ACCUMULATED OVER TIME, OVER DECADES IN MANY CASES AS PHOSPHORUS AS CONTINUALLY AMENDED IN CERTAIN FIELDS.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY PHOSPHORUS ASSOCIATED WITH LAST WEEK'S MANURE APPLICATION, BUT PERHAPS GRANDFATHER'S MANURE APPLICATION IN THE 1970s.

THIS GRADUALLY ACCUMULATES ON PARTICLES AND SOIL WITHIN THE AGRICULTURAL FIELD, ENVIRONMENT, THE STREAM BANKS AND WHEN THERE IS A LARGE EROSION EVENT THAT CAN GET MOVED.

SOMETHING LIKE HURRICANE IRENE, OR THE SPRING FLOODS OF 2011.

THERE IS A LEGACY POOL ACCUMULATED IN THE LANDSCAPE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

THE OTHER PIECE IS THE PHOSPHORUS ENDS UP IN THE LAKE SEDIMENT, IN THE SYSTEM, FROM THE DISSOLVED POOL AND THE RESUSPENDED SEDIMENTS.

IT BUILDS UP OVER TIME.

WHEN IT'S RELATIVELY CALM AND STABLE AND THE WATER ISN'T MOVING MUCH, YOU GET STRATIFICATION IN THE WATER COLUMN THAT DRIVES DOWN OXYGEN AND RELEASES THE PHOSPHORUS INTO THE WATER COLUMN.

THAT CAN BE BIO AVAILABLE AND CAUSE OUR CYANOBACTERIA OR ALGAL BLOOMS.

THE MOBILITY OF THESE TWO POOLS RL BOTH CRITICAL IN UNDERSTANDING OUR ABILITY TO MEET SOMETHING LIKE THE TMDL AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO IMPACT OUR ALGAL BLOOMS ULTIMATELY.

>> CHUCK, YOU HELPED LEAD THE EFFORT TO PASS THE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES.

ARE THESE REGULATIONS ENOUGH, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF ARE THE RULES BEING ENFORCED?

WHERE ARE WE AT AROUND REGULATION WITH AGRICULTURE?

>> ACT 64.

>> THE CLEAN WATER ACT.

>> YES.

THE RAPs ARE A SET OF PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY AND OTHERS, THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND A SCALE AND A SCOPE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE AMOUNT OF PHOSPHORUS THAT WE NEED TO SEE REDUCED COMING OFF OF THE FARMS.

NOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED OVER TIME, AND THEY ARE NOT ALL GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY.

SOME OF THEM COST MONEY AND THEIR IMPACT WILL BE ALSO OVER TIME AS WELL.

INTERESTINGLY BEFORE I STARTED AS A SECRETARY, SEVEN YEARS AGO, THERE WAS JUST A COUPLE THOUSAND ACRES OF COVER CROP LAND.

NOW WE HAVE CLOSER TO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 30, 35,000 ACRES OF COVER CROP LAND, AND THAT'S A THIRD OF THE TILLED LAND IN THE STATE OF VERMONT IS NOW COVER CROP.

THAT'S HAPPENED IN SIX OR SEVEN YEARS.

THAT'S THE KIND OF CHANGE THAT WE NEED TO SEE.

WE HAVE NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE LAND THAT IS TILLED IS TILLED WITH SOME KIND OF CONSERVATION TILLAGE.

THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.

NOW THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THINGS IMMEDIATELY IN THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN, AND WILL THEY BE ENOUGH ON THEIR OWN TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, WE THINK THEY WILL BE.

BUT AS I'M TRYING TO SAY, WE'RE GOING -- WE HAVE TO DO THOSE THINGS AND WE ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE OPEN FOR OTHER PRACTICES, OTHER APPROACHES, OTHER STRATEGIES, THAT CAN AUGMENT WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN PLANNED.

SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE -- THEY ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE DEPLOYED THROUGH TIME AS FAR AND WIDE AS WE CAN.

>> AND ENFORCED.

>> AND ENFORCED WHEN NECESSARY.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT MY EXPERIENCE, BOTH AS A SECRETARY AND NOW IN PARTNERSHIP ON THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OF HELPING FARMERS FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THESE PRACTICES, THAT THE FARMING COMMUNITY IS VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THIS, AND AS EVIDENCED AS I SAID BEFORE, A LOT OF THESE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED ON DIFFERENT FARMS AT DIFFERENT TIMES PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF ACT 64.

>> GREAT.

THANKS.

AND, LORI, ANOTHER ACT, ACT 73, WAS CREATED TO FUND WATER CLEANUP AND EVEN JUST TODAY A WORKING GROUP CHARGED TO FIND OUT ABOUT HOW TO FIGURE OUT LONG-TERM FUNDING, SAYS WE ARE FINE WITH THE SPENDING AS IT IS NOW UNTIL 2021 AND HAVEN'T REALLY FIGURED OUT YET A WAY TO DO THIS LONG-TERM FUNDING.

SO WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

IS 1.3 BILLION OVER 20 YEARS ENOUGH?

YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM AND HOW ARE YOU SEEING THIS ISSUE OF FUNDING THE CLEANUP GOING RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE WE SEE FUNDING AS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE CLEAN WATER THAT WE NEED, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RESTORE WATERWAYS OR PROTECT HIGH QUALITY WATERS WITHOUT DEDICATED LONG-TERM, STABLE FUNDING.

THAT'S WHERE ACT 73, THE TAX CHANGE, INITIATIVE, FOCUSED ON CONVENING THIS GROUP AND TO GIVE THIS REPORT TO THE LEGISLATOR.

THAT WAS THEIR CHARGE TO COME UP WITH A LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCE, WHICH THEY DID NOT DO.

AND I THINK -- AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT'S HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD JUST EVEN IN RECENT YEARS, BACK IN 2012, 2014, THERE WERE THESE REQUESTS BY THE LEGISLATOR TO CONVENIENT A WORKING GROUP OR HAVE A STUDY TO COME UP WITH LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE FUNDING, AND THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.

SO IN A SENSE WE ARE CONTINUING TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

I THINK THAT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE THIS REPORT IS -- IT DOESN'T MEET THE CHARGE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT CHARGE IS DIFFICULT, AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE FROM THE AGENCY.

THE LEGISLATOR DIRECTED THE -- YOU KNOW, CONVENED THIS WORKING GROUP, BUT THE LEGISLATOR IS THE BODY THAT SETS POLICY, AND SO THE LEGISLATOR ALSO HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO COME UP WITH AN EQUITABLE FUNDING SOURCE.

AND SO I THINK IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US AS CITIZENS, WE LIVE IN THE STATE OF VERMONT WITH VERY REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, WE ALL NEED TO RAISE OUR VOICES AND NOTE THAT WE WANT TO SEE THESE LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN THE WATER, AND WE CAN'T GO FORWARD WITHOUT THEM.

THE FUNDING THAT IS BEING PROPOSED RIGHT NOW, THE RECOMMENDATION I BELIEVE IS TO LOOK IN SHORT-TERM INCREMENTS RATHER THAN THE WHOLE 20 YEARS OUT.

I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK LONG-TERM.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN REALLY PLAN, AND WE NEED TO MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS AND WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE TO INSURE OUR WATER IS CLEAN.

>> IF WE WAIT.

>> REGARDLESS.

WE HAVE TO PAY MORE NOW.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM ALL OF US.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY IS UNITED IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING THAT WE SEE NEEDED GOING FORWARD.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AN ALL-IN APPROACH, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FROM ALL SECTORS AND ALL INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE WE ARE VITALLY DEPENDENT ON CLEAN WATER AND WE NEED TO MAKE THAT SOCIETAL INVESTMENT.

I THINK THERE IS A TENDENCY TO EXPECT THAT THAT WATER IS ALWAYS GOING TO COME OUT OF THE TAP CLEAN, AND THAT'S A RIGHT AND ALSO A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES, AND WE CAN'T GET THERE WITHOUT pBRO.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT SEDIMENTS A LITTLE BIT.

I GUESS YOU TALKED ABOUT IT IN EXTREME EVENTS.

HOW MUCH MORE SERIOUS IS IT?

AT CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR OR FROM EXTREME EVENTS ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE SEDIMENT CONTINUING TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE LAKE?

WELL, IN ANY OF OUR LAKES.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN SEDIMENT PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES FROM PHOSPHORUS IS A HUGE PIECE OF NUTRIENT LOADING AND THE CAUSE OF THESE ALGAL BLOOMS.

THERE IS CERTAINLY A STRONG SEASONAL IMPACT ON WHEN HIGH SEDIMENT LOADS ARE MOST PRONE TO COME OUT.

WE THINK A LOT ABOUT KIND OF ONE-OFF AND HOW THE CONDITIONS WITHIN THE WATERSHED ARE GOING TO EITHER PROMOTE OR SUPPRESS RETAINING SEDIMENT WITHIN THE SYSTEM, AND THERE A LOT OF WAYS WE MODIFY THE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PROMOTING EROSION.

OUR STREAMS CAN BE CONSIDERED OUT OF EQUILIBRIUM, SO THAT MAKES THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE.

LARGE STORMS, ON A BARE FARM FIELD, WITH NO CROPS, IF YOU GET FROZEN SOIL, THE SPRING CAN BE WHAT WE CALL A HUGE HOT MOMENT IN SEDIMENT TRANSPORT.

AND THEN THAT'S -- YOU KIND OF HAVE THE ADDED PROBLEM IN THE SEDIMENT IS ACTUALLY MORE REACTIVE POTENTIALLY DURING THAT TIME OF YEAR.

SO YOU ARE EXPORTING A PARTICULARLY HIGH AMOUNT OF IT AND ALSO SOME OF THE SEDIMENT CAN HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT BECAUSE OF ITS COMPOSITION.

>> YES, SIR.

>> HELLO.

MY NAME IS STEVE DOE AND I AM FROM FAIRFIELD, VERMONT.

MY QUESTION IS, WHAT INCENTIVES ARE IN PLACE FOR FARMERS TO FOLLOW WATER QUALITY BEST PRACTICES WHEN THEY ARE DOING THEIR FARMING?

>> GREAT.

INCENTIVES, MAYBE BACK TO YOU, CHUCK.

WE MIGHT HAVE OTHERS OF OUR -- >> THERE IS A RANGE OF INCENTIVES.

SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY FUNDS THAT ARE USED TO UNDERWRITE THE APPLICATION OF COVER CROPS, SO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.

AND IN THE EXPERIMENT WITH THAT COVER CROP THERE ARE SOME FUNDS TO HELP BUY EQUIPMENT AND THERE IS EXTENSION ACTUALLY BUYS EQUIPMENT FOR EXAMPLE AND LOANS IT OUT OR RENTS IT OUT TO FOLKS TO UTILIZE IT SO THEY LEARN HOW TO USE IT, SEE WHAT IT DOES, SO THAT A LOT OF THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO LEARN ABOUT IT, BE EDUCATED AND GET SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO APPLY IT.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO AT EXTENSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED MAYBE A SUBSIDY, BUT IT ACTUALLY IS YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNNELED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT PROVIDING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMING WITH EXTENSION AND OTHERS TO HELP FARMERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE PRACTICES ARE AND HOW TO GET THEM INSTALLED.

THE STATE HAS MONEY.

YOU KNOW, THE STATE IS NOT REPRESENTED HERE, BUT THERE IS A NUMBER OF FUNDS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO HELP PUT IN FENCING, SO THERE IS A RANGE OF PRACTICES THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY THE STATE AND PIE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP REDUCE THE COST OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOME OF THESE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND, LORI, JUST TO PUT SOME THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT URBAN DEVELOPMENT RUNOFF VERSUS AGRICULTURAL.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE THING FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE SAINT ALBANS, WE'RE IN A SOMEWHAT URBAN DISTRICT OF THIS AREA.

SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT?

>> SURE.

I THINK WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT JUST PARTICULARLY NUTRIENT LOADING COMING FROM URBAN LAND AS OPPOSED TO AGRICULTURE.

CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF SAINT ALBANS BAY, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION HERE IS AGRICULTURE.

THIS IS A BIG FARMING COMMUNITY.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT PHOSPHORUS CONTRIBUTION ACRE BY ACRE, I THINK A UVM STUDY AWHILE BACK NOTED THAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION FROM DEVELOPED LAND, ACRE PER ACRE, CAN PROVIDE AS MUCH AS FOUR TIMES AS MUCH NUTRIENT LOAD PHOSPHORUS AS AGRICULTURAL LAND AND ABOUT SEVEN TIMES AS MUCH AS FORESTRY.

SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE CHALLENGING ISSUES ADDRESSING OUR WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS AND DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE AGRICULTURE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE CAN FIND IN A WAY THAT'S NOT ONLY GOOD FOR THE LAND, I THINK FARMERS HAVE A LONGSTANDING TRADITION AND PRIDE IN FEELING LIKE THEY ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE LAND, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S GOOD FOR WATER QUALITY AND WE PROTECT THAT VITAL RESOURCE.

BUT THE ANSWER ISN'T TO LOSE ALL OUR FARMS, AND TO TRANSITION TO A LAND USE THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE PROBLEMATIC.

IT'S A CHALLENGING ISSUE BECAUSE CERTAINLY THERE ARE A LOT OF PRACTICES.

MAYBE WE CAN NO LONGER FARM BECAUSE OF THE VULNERABILITY OF OUR WATERWAYS AND THESE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THESE DISCUSSIONS ON AND WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE ACTION.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU, LORI.

YES, SIR.

>> YES, MA'AM.

ROB CORMIER, FRANKLIN, VERMONT.

WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE INTERNAL PHOSPHORUS LOADS ON THE LAKE, AND ON LAKE CARMI WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN AERATION PROJECT.

AERATION, DOES IT WORK, AND THERE ARE EXAMPLES WITHIN THE STATE OF VERMONT WHERE AERATION HAS BEEN USED IN THE PAST, AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF THOSE PROJECTS?

THANK YOU.

>> ANDREW.

>> I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> I AM NOT AWARE OF AN AERATION -- WELL, AERATION PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE IN SMALL PONDS ALL OVER THE PLACE, YOU KNOW, BUT I AM NOT -- >> EXPLAIN WHAT THAT PROCESS IS.

>> THE IDEA, I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, THE IDEA IS THAT PART OF WHAT CONTROLS THE INTERNAL LOADING OF PHOSPHORUS IS THE CONCENTRATION OF OXYGEN THAT'S IN THE WATER THAT'S IN CONTACT WITH THE SEDIMENT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.

WHEN IT GETS LOW ENOUGH YOU DISSOLVE MINERALS.

THE PHOSPHORUS IS BASICALLY ABSORBED TO THE SURFACE AND RELEASED INTO THE WATER COLUMN.

THE IDEA IS IF YOU OXYGENATE THAT WATER YOU THEREFORE KIND OF SUPPRESS -- YOU KEEP THOSE MINERALS FROM DISSOLVING.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE THAT CAN WORK, PLACES WHERE IT'S HARDER TO WORK.

IN LAKE CARMI WHY THEY I THINK IT WILL WORK IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY WATER MOVES IN THE SYSTEM OR DOESN'T MOVE IN THE SYSTEM, SO IT'S A MORE STABLE SYSTEM WHERE YOU CAN -- THAT ISN'T GOING TO BE KIND OF IMPACTED BY DISTURBANCE AS MUCH AS SOMETHING LIKE, SAY, SAINT ALBANS BAY OR MISSISQUOI BAY, WHERE YOU ALSO RUN INTO A SCALE PROBLEM.

SO I THINK IT HAS POTENTIAL IN CARMI THAT I WOULDN'T THINK -- >> IT'S A SHALLOW, PRETTY SHALLOW LAKE.

>> BUT IT STRATIFYS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A RELATIVELY MINOR WIND EVENT IN A SYSTEM LIKE MISSISQUOI OR SAINT ALBANS, THAT COMPLETELY OXYGENATES THE SEDIMENT PROFILE SO YOU DOESN'T GET THIS DEEP POOL ALLOWING PHOSPHORUS TO BUILD UP FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR WHEN IT TURNED OVER AND IS FOLLOWED BY THIS REALLY WARM WEATHER, IT ALLOWS THE BACTERIA BLOOM TO TAKE OFF AND RUN WITH THOSE RESOURCES.

IN THE MISSISQUOI AND SAINT ALBANS, FROM A SCALE STANDPOINT, IT WOULD BE HARD TO MAINTAIN HIGH OXYGEN ACROSS SUCH A LARGE SYSTEM, BUT ALSO THE SYSTEM IS KIND OF OXYGENATING THE SEDIMENT ITSELF WHEN IT TURNS OVER IN THE WIND.

>> IN THE BAYS.

>> YES.

I THINK ITS BROADER APPLICATION IN THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN WOULD BE MORE PROBLEMATIC.

>> JUST TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT LAKE CARMI, SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT ARE PROBABLY FROM THAT AREA, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T, AND LAKE CARMI HAS BEEN BEE LEAGUEERED BY CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS OFF AND ON, AND MANY PEOPLE VIEW THIS AS A SUMMER PHENOMENON.

I JUST GOT PHOTOGRAPHS THE OTHER DAY FROM ONE OF OUR MONITORS JUST SHOWING PEA SOUP GREEN BLOOM THAT HAS PER SYS SENT IN LAKE CARMI FROM THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST -- AT LEAST THE PHOTOGRAPHS I HAVE ARE FROM NOVEMBER 8TH.

THIS IS A VERY LONG TIME TO BE DEALING WITH THIS IN YOUR BACK OR FRONT YARD.

IT'S JUST -- THAT IS KIND OF -- WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LACK CARMI IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AS A SOCIETY, AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROPERTY THERE OR WHO THAT'S THEIR WATER BODY OF USE HAS DRAMATIC EFFECT, AND IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING -- IT'S ALL PART OF YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

IT HAS DRAMATIC ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS, NOT ONLY PERSONALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE HOMES OR CAMPS IN THAT AREA, BUT IT ALSO AFFECTS THAT TOURISTY CON ME THAT OUR REGION IS SO DEPENDENT UPON, AND GETS VERY MUCH AT THE BRAND IDENTITY.

YOU KNOW, VERMONT IS ABOUT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, AND THIS VERY MUCH AFFECTS, YOU KNOW, THAT VALUE.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> I AM SURE PEOPLE ARE GLAD TO HEAR THIS.

WE HAVE SOMETHING HERE FROM FACEBOOK.

TARA FROM FAIRFAX IS WRITING IN.

SHE WANTS TO ORGANIZE WITH HER NEIGHBORS TO DO WHAT THEY CAN ON THEIR OWN PROPERTYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT SHE SAYS I AM NOT SURE WHERE TO START.

ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT CAN GET -- THAT CAN HELP US EVEN GET STARTED?

AND, LORI.

>> SURE.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH FOLKS AND WORK WITH THEM.

>> THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMITTEE FOR ONE.

>> CERTAINLY CAN HELP ASSIST, AND ALSO THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO.

CERTAINLY EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CONSCIOUS OF NUTRIENTS WE ARE PUTTING ON OUR PROPERTIES IF WE OWN LAND, AND THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT IF YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO APPLY PHOSPHORUS FOR EXISTING LAWNS UNLESS A SOIL TEST SHOWS THAT YOU NEED IT.

AND STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IN THIS AREA THAT TYPICALLY LAWNS, PARTICULARLY EXISTING LAWNS, HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH PHOSPHORUS.

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T DO THAT FOR YOUR OWN PROPERTY.

THAT'S JUST ONE QUICK EXAMPLE.

BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN -- THERE IS ALSO THE STATE PROGRAM, THE LAKEWISE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHORELINE PROPERTY, WHICH HELPS YOU -- GIVES YOU GUIDANCE ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR PROPERTY SO THAT YOU ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO EXCESSIVE RUNOFF.

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET THE WHOLE -- ALL OF US AROUND LAKE CARMI ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

>> TERRIFIC.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER HEALTH IMPLICATIONS WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT?

CERTAINLY BACK TO LORI.

I SAW YOU NOD YOUR HEAD FIRST.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHAT ARE THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS HERE THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT?

>> CERTAINLY IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PHOSPHORUS, ONE OF THE REASONS WE MONITOR FOR THEM IS THAT THEY IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS CAN TURN TOXIC.

THE TWO KINDS -- THE CYANOBACTERIA THAT WE SEE MOST OFTEN ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN CAN TRIGGER -- THERE IS ONE CALLED ANABENA AND MICROCYSTIS.

THEY ARE EITHER NEURO TOXINS OR LIVER TOXINS.

AND IF YOU JUST HAVE EXPOSURE TO THEM, YOU KNOW, MINIMAL EXPOSURE, THEY CAN CAUSE GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS.

YOU CAN HAVE SORT OF A REACTION ALMOST LIKE YOU ATE BAD POTATO SALAD.

AND SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY HEALTH EFFECTS, AND THERE ARE REASONS TO AVOID CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.

AND WE TALKED A LOT TONIGHT ABOUT PHOSPHORUS, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT LAKE CHAMPLAIN'S HEALTH HOLISTICALLY, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES FACING THE LAKE, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE NEW GENERATION CONTAMINANTS, YOUR PHARMACEUTICALS, PESTICIDES, PLASTICS, THAT CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE AN EFFECT, AND CERTAINLY ON THE ECOSYSTEM, SO WE NEED TO THINK BROADLY ABOUT WATER QUALITY AND NOT JUST THINK ABOUT PHOSPHORUS.

IT IS CERTAINLY A VERY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING LAKE CHAMPLAIN'S HEALTH, AND ALL OUR WATERWAYS.

>> I JUST SAW YOU NODDING AROUND HEALTH ISSUES.

WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD, ANDREW?

>> I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT WE NEED TO THINK MORE BROADLY HOW ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING THE LAKE.

IT'S IMPACTING WATER TEMPERATURE, STRATIFICATION, WIND.

>> EVEN WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES OR EVEN ENDANGERED SPECIES, THIS WATER ALSO AFFECTS WILDLIFE AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM.

EN -- INVASIVES, ARE THEY REFLECTIVE OF THE CHANGES IN THE LAKE?

WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THAT?

>> THEY CERTAINLY -- THEY ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TRIGGERED PERHAPS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ECOSYSTEM CHANGES ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN.

WE HAVE ABOUT 50 INVASIVE SPECIES IN LAKE CHAMPLAIN, AND THEY ARE -- ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME OF THE INVASIVE SPECIES, MANY YOU ARE FAMILIAR, ZEBRA MUSCLES, IS THIS PROPENSITY TO BE VERY ADAPTIVE AND VERY RESPONSIVE AND TO CONDITIONS AND OUTCOMPETE.

AND IN SOME CASES TO REPRODUCE EXPONENTIALLY.

CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF ZEBRA MUSCLES.

THAT MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR OUR NATIVE SPECIES TO COUNTER AND SURVIVE IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

ZEBRA MUSCLES AFFECTS THE NATIVE MUSCLE POPULATION, SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW INVASIVE SPECIES CAN HAVE THIS EFFECT ON OTHER NATIVE POPULATIONS.

WATER CHESTNUTS, INVASIVE PLANTS, OFTEN THEY WEED OUT THE OTHER PLANT LIFE, TOO, AND OUR NATIVE PLANT LIFE THAT IS BETTER FOR -- YOU KNOW, IT PROVIDES MORE DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM AND NATURAL HABITAT.

>> WELL, I AM WONDERING ALSO FROM THE SCIENTIFIC END, ZEBRA MUSSELS THINK CAME IN FROM DIFFERENT BOATS, BUT BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE OR TEMPERATURE IN THE WATER -- I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS PART OF YOUR MONITORING OR NOT.

>> THAT'S NOT REALLY PART OF OUR WORK, BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE INVASIVES THAT DO BETTER OR WORSE BECAUSE OF HOW THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING.

>> ACTUALLY, WHAT NEW TECHNOLOGY IS EMERGING TO REALLY MONITOR WATER QUALITY AND WATER QUALITY ISSUES?

WHAT IS ON THAT HORIZON?

>> IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN A REALLY EXCITING KIND OF LAST DECADE TO BE SOMEONE INTERESTED IN WATER QUALITY MONITORING.

I SHOULD SAY IN VERMONT WE ARE BUILDING OFF A TREMENDOUSLY ROBUST DATASET OF CITIZEN MONITORING THAT LORI SPOKE OF, AND THE STATE ACTUALLY HAS A ROBUST WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE EARLY '90s.

SO WE CAN USE THAT DATA TO GIVE US CONTEXT INTO HOW THE LAKE IS CHANGING AND HOW DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE LAKE FUNCTION.

MORE RECENTLY PEOPLE HAVE STARTED USING DIFFERENT KINDS OF SENSORS TO STUDY WATER QUALITY, AND THOSE ARE SENSORS IN THIS CASE THAT WE CAN DEPLOY ACTUALLY IN STREAMS OR IN THE LAKE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, AND THEY CAN MAKE BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL MEASUREMENTS AT FREQUENCIES SOMETHING LIKE EVERY 15 MINUTES.

SO THIS BECOMES PARTICULARLY CRITICAL WHEN YOU START TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND HOW THESE SYSTEMS ARE RESPOND, OR HOW THEY ARE EVOLVING OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

I KIND OF LIKEN IT TO -- WE ARE ALL INTERESTED IN THE HEALTH OF THE WATER, THE WATERSHED.

A DOCTOR IS INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTH.

YOU GO IN FOR AN APPOINTMENT AND YOU GET ONE MEASUREMENT OF YOUR PULSE.

HE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR PULSE LOOKED LIKE WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING OR SLEEPING OR ATE CHEESEBURGERS FOR TEN DAYS IN A ROW.

THAT WOULD GIVE HIM A MUCH MORE HOLISTIC PICTURE OF HOW YOUR HEALTH IS RESPONDING TO DRIVERS.

BY MAKING SHE IS MEASUREMENTS OF HIGH FREQUENCY IN EITHER THE LAKE OR THE RIVER, WE CAN START TO GET A PICTURE OF HOW THE SYSTEM RESPONDS TO SOMETHING LIKE EPISODIC, LIKE A COLD FRONT THROUGH MISSISQUOI BAY, A LARGE STORM IN THE SPRING, A LARGE STORM IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ALGAL BLOOM.

IF I HAD MYSELF OR ONE OF MY GRADUATE STUDENTS RUNNING AROUND IN A BOAT IT WOULD BE HARD TO CAPTURE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET A MUCH BETTER PICTURE ON WHAT CONTROLS WATER QUALITY IN THE SYSTEMS THAT WE ARE STUDYING, AND THEN OF COURSE THESE ARE ALSO THE KIND OF DATA THAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP THESE PROCESS-BASED MODELS.

YOU WANT TO BE CAPTURING HOW THE SYSTEM RESPONDS TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS SO YOU CAN MODEL THEM AND PROJECT HOW THEY WILL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.

>> AND HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THE SOLUTION MIGHT BE HOPEFULLY.

ANOTHER THING AROUND FUNDING, THEY ARE SAYING A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS AREN'T READY TO GO RIGHT NOW, THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING WILL BE WHEN WE'RE REALLY READY TO GO BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

LORI, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT RESPONSE?

>> WELL, I THINK I HAVE HEARD TWO THINGS.

ONE, THAT PROJECTS AREN'T READY TO GO, BUT THERE IS ALSO NOT THE STAFF SUPPORT TO ROLL THEM OUT, AND I THINK THE LATTER IS A REALLY CRITICAL ISSUE WE'VE GOT TO SOLVE.

LIKE THAT IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE EXCUSE FOR NOT DEALING WITH OUR WATER QUALITY CHALLENGES.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE REPORT IS I THINK -- AT LEAST IN THE PRELIMINARY REPORT IT WAS PUTTING A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON CAPITAL FUNDING, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT-TERM, WHICH HAS A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS, AND IT CAN BE USED FOR WASTEWATER FACILITIES AND FOR STORMWATER, BUT NOT FOR AGRICULTURE AND SO THE PRELIMINARY REPORT IN OUR EYES WAS DIRECTING FUNDS TO PROBLEMS THAT ARE CERTAINLY PROBLEMS, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE BIGGEST SOURCE O PROBLEMS IN LAKE CHAMPLAIN.

SO WE WANT TO SEE MORE FUNDING REALLY BEING DIRECTED TOWARDS THE BIGGER PROBLEM AREAS.

>> AGRICULTURE?

>> AGRICULTURE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM.

I THINK THERE IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS, THERE IS STUDIES GOING ON RIGHT NOW ABOUT LOOKING AT HOW OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS CAN PROVIDE AND BE A SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RECOVERY, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE SYSTEMS AS WELL.

>> AND PROTECTING WETLANDS.

>> PROTECTING WETLANDS, ALLOWING RIVERS TO MOVE, YOU KNOW, AS THEY SHOULD MOVE.

>> MEANDER.

>> WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCE OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS.

>> WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FROM OUR AUDIENCE.

GO AHEAD.

>> MY NAME IS KITTY EMERSON AND I AM A PROPERTY OWNER UP AT LAKE CARMI.

WE ARE HEARING THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR DECADES.

I AM HEARING THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MONITORING AND A LOT OF DATA COLLECTION.

I JUST LOOK OUT THE LAKE FROM MY PROPERTY, I DON'T NEED DATA COLLECTION.

I CAN SEE IT.

WHAT I AM NOT HEARING IS WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS, WHAT ARE PEOPLE DOING.

I AM HEARING AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS.

I WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS MANDATES OUT THERE FOR SOME OF THESE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING PUSHED THROUGH THE AGRICULTURE.

I KNOW IT'S NOT CHEAP, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT OUR WATERS.

WHAT'S BEING DONE ELSEWHERE AND WHAT CAN WE AS CITIZENS DO TO PUSH THESE SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE LEGISLATION?

I AM HEARING A LOT THAT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR LAKES, BUT WHAT'S BEING DONE TO PREVENT IT, I AM NOT HEARING A LOT OF THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

CHUCK, DO YOU WANT TO -- >> THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME MANDATES THAT HAVE COME DOWN THROUGH THE ACT 64 AND RULEMAKING PROCESS, AND THERE ARE CLEARLY THINGS HAPPENING IN OTHER SECTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE WATER QUALITY ISSUES IN ALL OUR LAKES.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT IT TAKES TIME TO IMPLEMENT THEM AND IT TAKES TIME FOR ONCE THEY ARE IMPLEMENTED TO HAVE AN EFFECT THAT CAN BE SEEN.

AND IT'S -- AND, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND SEEN THE CHANGES, IT IS FRUSTRATING TO WATCH THAT WATER BODY CHANGE.

IT'S TAKEN US A LONG TIME TO GET THERE.

IT HAS BEEN YEARS AND YEARS OF ALL OF US FROM VARIOUS SOURCES CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEGRADATION OF OUR WATER QUALITY.

FOR EACH BODY OF WATER, IT'S THEIR OWN ECOLOGY AND THE ECOLOGY IS GOING TO RESPOND UNIQUELY TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES IT'S IN.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE VARIABLE, AND WHEN IT'S REALLY TOUGH AND BAD IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN WE WOULD LIKE.

I FOR ONE WOULD LOVE TO SEE US BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THINGS THIS YEAR AND HAVE CHANGES DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS NEXT YEAR.

I AM NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IF WE DON'T IMPLEMENT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SET FORTH IN AGRICULTURE AND FOR ROADS AND MUNICIPALITIES AND STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS, WE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE HEADWAY.

AND I THINK IF WE ARE PERSISTENT WE WILL SEE A CHANGE.

WHAT I CAN'T TELL YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN TELL US, ANDREW, WHEN WE ARE GOING TO SEE A MEASURABLE AND APPRECIABLE CHANGE.

MY ANSWER IS IT DEPENDS ON THE WATER BODY AND IT DEPENDS ON SOME VARIABLES THAT HAVE CHANGED ON US, LIKE THE FACT WE HAVE MORE INTENSIVE RAIN STORMS THAT CHANGE THE HYDRODYNAMICS OF THE RIVERS THAT MAKE THEM OUT OF BALANCE, AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE THAT WE HAVE WARMER PERIODS OF TIME THAN WE DID WHEN I WAS A KID, WHICH EXACERBATES THE ALGAE BLOOMS.

IF THOSE KIND OF CHANGES CONTINUE, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THINGS EVEN A LITTLE HARDER.

>> RIGHT.

SO WE ARE STILL IN THAT, IT'S A TOUGH PROBLEM.

ANYTHING THAT WE CAN OFFER FOR RESIDENTS OF LAKE CARMI TODAY ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE DONE?

LORI?

>> WELL, I JUST WANT TO HARKEN BACK TO ONE OF CHUCK'S POINTS, THAT IT WILL -- UNFORTUNATELY IT DOES TAKE TIME TO SEE THESE CHANGES FROM OUR ACTIONS TODAY.

YOU DON'T SEE THE RESPONSE IN OUR WATER BODIES TOMORROW.

AND THAT IN MY EYES REALLY REINFORCES THE NEED TO ACT ON ALL FRONTS RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A DELAYED RESPONSE, AND WE HAVE THE COMPLICATING FACTOR THAT EXACERBATED THESE WATER QUALITY ISSUES, WHICH IS CLIMATE CHANGE.

THAT IS FUELING -- IT'S ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS TO ALGAL BLOOMS, WHEN YOU HAVE A WARMER ENVIRONMENT, THAT COMBINED WITH NUTRIENT LOADING IN STILL DAYS WILL FOSTER BLOOMS, AND WE ARE CERTAINLY SEEING THAT HAPPENING ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN.

THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.

BUT IN TERMS OF ACTIONS, ONE OF THE THINGS WITH ACT 64, WHILE IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN STRONGER, IT DID ENDEAVOR TO LOOK VERY BROADLY AT THE SYSTEM AND NOT JUST FOCUS ON ONE SECTOR, BUT THIS WAS LOOKING AT STORMWATER, AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES, AT OUR ROADWAYS, AS TRANSPORTATION, AND AT AGRICULTURE, AND REALLY TRYING TO REFINE APPROACHES AND REQUIRE MORE.

SO WHAT I -- YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT WE ALL HAVE TO STAY ENGAGED ON THIS ISSUE, AND IT'S INCUMBENT ON EVERYBODY WHO CARES ABOUT WATERWAYS TO STILL, YOU KNOW, MAKE A CASE, REACH OUT TO YOUR LEGISLATORS, BE A PRESENCE, RAISE YOUR VOICES ON THIS ISSUE, TO PROMOTE CHANGE.

>> OKAY.

SO TO CLOSE UP TONIGHT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE EACH OF YOU RESPOND TO WHAT ARE OUR PRODUCTIVE WAYS FOR PEOPLE WATCHING THIS SHOW THAT CAN PARTICIPATE IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP OUR WATERS CLEAN?

I WILL START WITH YOU, ANDREW.

>> WELL, I GUESS ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WAS THE POINT THAT BOTH LORI AND CHUCK MADE, WAS BE PERSISTENT.

THIS IS A LONG-TERM -- IN MANY OF THESE SITUATIONS, THIS IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW -- WE HAVE DUG OURSELVES INTO A BIT OF A DEEP HOLE, AND WE THROW CLIMATE CHANGE ON TOP OF IT.

A COLLEAGUE OF MINE MADE THE ANALOGY OF TRYING TO REACH THESE KIND OF WATER QUALITY TARGETS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE, SHOOTING AT A RUNNING TARGET WHILE JUMPING UP AND DOWN.

AND THAT REQUIRES PERSISTENCE AND THESE THINGS AREN'T GOING TO TURN AROUND, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY.

WE ARE GOING TO SPEND MONEY TO TRY AND DEAL WITH THIS, AND SO FRUSTRATION SHOULDN'T BUILD.

THESE CHANGES AREN'T GOING TO OCCUR NECESSARILY ON OUR POLITICAL TIME SCALES, BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO NEED TO ADJUST OUR APPROACH AS WE START TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE SYSTEM CHANGES.

SO I THINK GETTING INVOLVED -- I MEAN CHUCK JUST SAID IT BEAUTIFULLY.

USING YOUR VOTE AT THE BALLOT BOX, CONSIDER WHAT YOU BUY AND WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, AND THEN ALSO THERE IS A LOT OF PARTICULARLY IN THIS AREA GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS.

I HAVE INTERACTED WITH FRIENDS OF NORTHERN LAKE CHAMPLAIN.

JUST GET INVOLVED IN THAT STUFF AND RAISE YOUR KIDS TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT.

>> THANK YOU, ANDREW.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> GREAT.

LORI.

>> SO CERTAINLY I WANT TO REINFORCE THOSE POINTS, AND TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.

IF THESE ARENAS ARE THE ONLY PLACE THAT WATER QUALITY IS TALKED ABOUT, THEN WE ARE GOING TO LOSE THE BATTLE.

SO THAT PERSISTENCE THAT ANDREW TALKED ABOUT, REMEMBERING THE POWER OF THE PURSE, AND REMEMBERING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE A WATER QUALITY ADVOCATE.

YOU HAVE TREMENDOUS POWER BY THE USE OF YOUR DOLLARS, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IN OUR SOCIETY.

SO REMEMBER THAT AND DON'T LET YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK WHEN IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO FOLLOW THOSE VALUES, WHEN YOU ARE PURCHASING SOMETHING, AND STAY ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT.

AND THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATOR NEEDS TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS ON WATER QUALITY PROTECTIONS AND FUNDING.

YOU CAN HELP THEM DO THAT, AND WE AS CITIZENS REALLY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DIRECT OUR GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE VALUE, WHAT WE HOLD DEER.

WE HAVE -- DEAR.

WE HAVE TO INVEST OUR MONEY.

>> THANK YOU, LORI.

CHUCK.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO AND I WOULD UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSISTENCE AND COMMITMENT.

BUT I ALSO THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS TO EVOLVE OUR CULTURE TO CREATE A CULTURE OF CLEAN WATER.

WE HAD A CULTURE THAT ENABLED US TO PUT WATER -- OR PUT POLLUTANTS AND CONTAMINANTS IN THE WATER FOR DECADES.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A NEW CULTURE, NOT OF ONE OF BLAME, BUT ONE OF COMPLIMENTS AND SUPPORT.

BECAUSE EACH ONE OF US HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY, AND WE HAVE DONE IT FOR YEARS.

NOW WE HAVE A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY CREATE A CULTURE WHERE YOU SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

I WILL TELL YOU THE FARMING COMMUNITY WHO I KNOW REASONABLY WELL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE A PART OF A COMMUNITY.

THEY WANT TO BE SEEN AS POSITIVE CONTRIBUTORS IN THEIR SOCIETY, N THEIR COMMUNITIES, WHERE THEY LOOK YOU EYE TO EYE AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT CULTURE, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS VERMONTERS TO CREATE A CULTURE WHERE WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO ADVANCE THIS BALL TOGETHER RATHER THAN BLAME ONE ANOTHER.

AND WE GET TO DO THAT WITH THE BALLOT BOX, WITH OUR VOTE, WHEN WE BUY FOOD, AND WE GET TO DO IT WITH HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

IF WE CAN CREATE A CLEAN WATER CULTURE WHERE EVERYBODY LOOKS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING EVERY CHANCE THEY GET, I THINK WE CAN MAKE AN ENORMOUS HEADWAY AND HE CAN ACCELERATE THE RATE OF CHANGE IN WAYS THAT WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND YET.

>> AWESOME.

THANK YOU.

CHUCK, LORI, ANDREW.

THANK ALL OF YOU IN SAINT ALBANS FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT TO THE 14TH STAR BREWERY.

THANKS FOR THEM TO HOSTING US FROM THIS MORNING.

LOOK FOR MORE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES FOR SAVING OUR WATERS ON LINE AT VERMONT PDS.ORG/WATER.

AMONG THE RESOURCES YOU WILL FIND A LINK TO EPSCoR'S RESILIENT WATERS PAGE WHERE TEY ARE GATHERING INPUT FROM CITIZENS LIKE YOU.

FOR ALL OF US AT VERMONT PBS, I'M FRAN STODDARD.

♪ CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY LNS CAPTIONING www.lnscaptioning.com >> MAJOR FUNDING FOR SAVING OUR WATERS IS PROVIDED BY VERMONT EPSCoR, FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, SUPPORTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH IN VERMONT COLLEGES AND BUSINESSES AND ENCOURAGING YOUNG VERMONTERS TO SEEK CAREERS IN SCIENCE.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY: AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

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