Category Archives: Ecology

Ecology of Lake Champlain and how to protect our lake.

$1.5 Million USDA Funding to Improve Water Quality for New York State

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $1.5 Million USDA Funding to Improve Water Quality in Greater Adirondack Conservation Projects

Funding Will Support Projects to Improve Water Quality and Soil Health for the Upper Hudson River, St. Lawrence River, Black River, and Lake Champlain Watershed

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced last week that $1.5 million in federal funding has been awarded for Greater Adirondacks agricultural conservation projects. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to be used for improving water quality, soil health, and resolve habitat issues in and around the Upper Hudson River, St. Lawrence River, Black River and Lake Champlain Watershed. The award is part of four grants totaling $30.5 million awarded across New York State, aimed at protecting and supporting wildlife and the environment, as well as improving our water quality.

“The Upper Hudson River, St. Lawrence River, Black River and Lake Champlain Watersheds are all critical resources for citizens, farmers and landowners throughout the Adirondack region and the tourists who come from all over the state and country to visit the Adirondacks. These federal funds will go a long way toward ensuring conservation efforts are effective and prepared to handle whatever is on the horizon. I am pleased the USDA has awarded these funds so these Greater Adirondack watersheds can continue to be centers for recreation, tourism and economic development for generations to come.” ~ Senator Charles Schumer

$1.5 Million USDA Funding to Improve Water Quality for New York State

Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer

“The Upper Hudson River, St. Lawrence River, Black River and Lake Champlain Watershed are natural resources and key economic anchors in upstate New YorkThis critical funding is an important step in the right direction as we work to protect these watersheds and improve soil and water quality. I will continue to push for these types of investments that support New York farmers, foresters, and businesses and will work to ensure the Upper Hudson River, St. Lawrence River, Black River and Lake Champlain Watershed remain healthy recreational and economic landmarks for our families.” ~ Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Under this new USDA program, resources are provided to farmers, non-industrial forest land owners, and producers for conservation planning and education. The goals of the program include reducing sediment, bacterial and nutrient loading into surface waters and recovering habitat within the selected areas.

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination between the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its partners to provide federal assistance to farmers and landowners. Regions must apply in order to be eligible partners in the program and access federal funding. The program was authorized under the latest Farm Bill.

‘Lake Champlain’ is a new pictoral history of Lake Champlain compiled by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and a part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Press.

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‘The Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents, and Other Mystery Denizens of the Deep’ is a casebook and field guide to the world’s mysterious sea creatures offers insight into pop culture and scientific beliefs, as well as advice on how to investigate such phenomena firsthand.

Vermont NRCS Conservation Funding Focused on Most Impaired Watersheds

Vermont NRCS Conservation Funding : EQIP Funds to Most Impaired Watersheds

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack with Vermont US Senator Patrick Leahy and Vermont Secretary of Agricluture Chuck Ross announcing $45 million in Lake Champlain cleanup funds August 28, 2014.
(Photo by Taylor Dobbs, VPR)

The Lake Champlain Basin will benefit from $45 million dollars of conservation funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Programs (EQIP) over the next 5 years. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack announced last August that in 2015, the NRCS will be implementing over $8 million dollars in conservation practices. 60% of the money available for 2015 will be targeted for the most heavily impaired watersheds, including: the South Lake, St. Albans Bay, and Missisquoi Bay. The remaining 40% will fund projects in other areas of the Lake Champlain watershed.

“We’ve found at USDA that voluntary conservation is particularly effective with agricultural interests.” ~ Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture

Aerial Photographs Capture Sediment Loading to Lake Champlain

Funding Priorities Encourage Voluntary Conservation

In all areas, priority for funding will be given to agronomic practices that reduce soil and phosphorus losses, followed by improvements to manure storage and handling on farmsteads. Manure Injection is again included as a practice eligible for funding in Vermont. Farmers in the Lake Champlain Basin will also be allowed an option to receive five years of payments, instead of the usual three years, for specific agronomic practices that include: Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Conservation Crop Rotation, Prescribed Grazing, Feed Management, and Residue Management.

Producers who are interested in funding to support conservation improvements on their farm are encouraged to contact their local NRCS office.

Information based on release from:

Vicky Drew, State Conservationist, USDA NRCS, 356 Mountain View Drive, Suite 105, Colchester, VT 05446, (802 )951-6796, Ext. 242

‘Lake Champlain’ is a new pictoral history of Lake Champlain compiled by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and a part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Press.

Imperial Dam Modifications to Improve Fish Habitat

Imperial Dam Modifications

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is taking public comments on plans to modify a dam on the Saranac River a few miles upstream from Lake Champlain.

Imperial Dam behind the Plattsburgh High School

The proposal for the Imperial Dam in Plattsburgh calls for decreasing the height of the spillway by 8-½ feet and building a concrete fish ladder to allow salmon and trout to swim nine miles upstream to spawn.

Anglers and conservationists have asked that the dam to be removed or modified for years, saying that it serves no purpose and is a barrier to spawning fish. Derrick Miller, President of the Lake Champlain Chapter of Trout Unlimited, says the dam proposal is great news.

The Saranac River is also part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

A public information meeting is planned Wednesday evening at Plattsburgh Town Hall.

‘Lake Champlain’ is a new pictoral history of Lake Champlain compiled by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and a part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Press.

$16 million in USDA funding to benefit Lake Champlain

USDA funding for Lake Champlain

Vermont and New York will receive $16 million in funding to benefit Lake Champlain for a new project through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which brings together partners to improve water quality and promote a sustainable working landscape. The project is one of many high-impact projects across the country to receive more than $370 million in this new effort.

$16 million in USDA funding to benefit Lake Champlain

The USDA has approved 115 proposals in the initial funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which was authorized under farm legislation enacted by Congress last year. The projects selected for funding under the new initiative are designed to cut down on fertilizer runoff, expand bird nesting areas and restore native grasslands, and will encourage conservation partnerships between government and private organizations.

“This is a new approach to conservation. We’re giving private companies, local communities and other non-government partners a way to invest in a new era in conservation that ultimately benefits us all.” ~ Tom Vilsack, U. S. Secretary of Agriculture.

$16 million in USDA funding to benefit Lake Champlain

The projects will share $340 million in federal funds, to be matched by $400 million from participating groups. Over five years, the USDA expects to spend $1.2 billion and raise at least that much from participating businesses, universities, nonprofits, local governments and Native American tribes.

The department solicited applications for funding of locally designed ventures designed to improve soil health and water quality while promoting efficient use of water and creating more wildlife habitat. Typically a project has eleven participating groups and agencies, but some have dozens. According to Vilsack, this will boost support at the community level.

“It’s the local folks who know the landscape. It’s the local folks who will be able to encourage landowners to participate. I learned as governor that if I went out and encouraged a farmer to create a buffer strip between their land and a river or stream, I might not be as successful as a neighboring farmer or someone from Pheasants Forever would be.” ~ Tom Vilsack

$16 million in funding to benefit Lake Champlain

40% of the federal money will go to multi-state and national projects, including $16 million to Vermont and New York for improve farming practices that benefit the Lake Champlain watershed and $10 million to help rice producers in six Southern and Midwestern states improve water and habitat stewardship.

Another 35% went to projects in “critical conservation areas,” including the Great Lakes region, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, the California Bay Delta, prairie grasslands, the South’s Longleaf Pine Range and the Columbia, Mississippi and Colorado river basins. State-level projects received the remaining 25%.

USDA received more than 600 grant proposals. Groups that weren’t selected, may try again in the next round of funding.

USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) – Vermont

‘Lake Champlain’ is a new pictoral history of Lake Champlain compiled by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and a part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Press.

Lake Champlain Gas Pipeline Phase II Proceedings Delayed

PSB Delays Lake Champlain Gas Pipeline Phase II Proceedings

PSB may consider sanctions

Lake Champlain Gas Pipeline Phase II Proceedings Delayed

Lake Champlain Gas Pipeline Proposed Route

Vermont’s Public Service Board (PSB) postponed hearings on Phase II of the Vermont Gas Systems pipeline project under Lake Champlain from Middlebury, VT to Ticonderoga, NY after Vermont Gas Systems revealed more cost overruns and requested the delay.

Vermont Gas had asked the Public Service Board to delay the project’s Phase II hearings after it announced its costs for Phase I were runnng about $68 million ahead of projections – $154 million, up from the initial $86 million estimate.

Vermont Gas CEO Don Rendall said last month that the company was filing new, increased cost estimates for Phase I of the project and asked for the delay on regulatory proceedings for Phase II to allow Vermont Gas to review cost estimates for that phase.

Phase I is designed to bring Vermont Gas service south from Vermont’s Chittenden County to Addison County, and the cost increases might lead the Public Service Board to reevaluate its approval for that phase.

Phase II of the pipeline would conduct the natural gas from its Phase I terminus in Addison County under Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga’s International Paper mill.

Opposition to Lake Champlain Gas Pipeline

Some pipeline opponents think the delay for Phase II consideratuion was a mistake. They hold that the Public Service Board should dismiss it totally.

Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) said the board should dismiss the petition without prejudice on conditions.

VPIRG pointed out the failure ofVermont Gas Systems provide quarterly updates to the Public Service Board, which regulates utilities in Vermont. Vermont Gas had committed to quarterly cost updates forboth Phase I and Phase II after they announced a price increase last July. VPIRG said Vemont Gas had not delivered on that commitment.

Others, including Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, the Conservation Law Foundation and some landowners along the pipeline route, had no problems with the company’s request to delay Phase II hearings.

Solar Haven Farm, an organic farm located along the route of the pipeline, called for a timely conclusion to the matter.

The parties “… should not be held in a perennial holding pattern wherein no personal or business plans can be made because at any time the Docket 8180 [for Phase II] could be reactivated. In the interests of fairness to the parties, Solar Haven Farm respectfully asks the Board to set a deadline by which VGS must make its decision whether it will withdraw or proceed with its Docket 8180 petition. The docket 8180 must have closure date.” ~ PSB filing for Solar Haven Farm.

The Public Service Board ruling said it “will determine at a later date whether to hold a status conference, and whether to reschedule the technical hearings in this proceeding or dismiss VGS’s petition,” and that “the board will address the request for sanctions in due course.”

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Category Archives: Ecology

$1.5 Million USDA Funding to Improve Water Quality for New York State