WhatsNewLCIWHAT'S NEW WITH LCI                     BACK TO TOP
Watch: The Pollution of Lake Champlain
Wondering how we wound up with toxic bacterial outbreaks in the waters of Lake Champlain and other lakes in the watershed--here is short video history. Watch Video

 

LakeChamplainBasinLAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN          BACK TO TOP
Chuck Ross: Mitigating Agricultural Impacts on Lake Champlain
Chuck Ross - MONTPELIER, VT -- With the recent series of meetings by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the Lake Champlain total maximum daily load there has been much discussion about the agricultural water quality efforts on-going in the state. As the Secretary of Agriculture, I am responsible for ensuring that agricultural nonpoint source rules are enforced. I know that the success of our farms depends on a commitment to environmental stewardship and I want to take a moment to explain our regulatory and enforcement programs and to outline our current strategy to focus on the northern Lake Champlain watersheds (Lake Carmi, Missisquoi Bay and St. Albans Bay). Read article
Conservation Law Foundation Appeals State Decision in an Effort to Stem Manure Runoff into the Missisquoi
The state's Environmental Court will decide whether Vermont should require farmers to adopt new water quality controls to reduce manure runoff in the Missisquoi Bay watershed.

The Conservation Law Foundation recently appealed a decision by the secretary of the Agency of Agriculture. Chuck Ross, the secretary, chose not to require that farms use best management practices to prevent manure from flowing into waterways in a decision last month. Earlier this year, CLF petitioned the state to enforce the new federal regulations.

Chris Kilian, CLF's Vermont director, said farmers need to do their part to help clean up the lake. Read article
Lake Champlain Plan - Needs More Teeth
Lauren Hierl - MONPELIER, VT - Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a lot of talk related to Lake Champlain cleanup. The problem is, it falls short of what we need for a healthy lake.

ANR announced a clean water initiative with two modest (at best) new funding proposals, the Agency of Agriculture issued an anti-clean water decision relative to farms, and EPA held more public hearings.

So, what's really new on Lake Champlain? Not enough.

We know there are challenging times for new budget initiatives as the state faces another looming budget shortfall. However, from drinking water to recreation to commercial interests, it's time to wake up to the fact that cleaning up Lake Champlain is not optional - it is our legal obligation and it is good for the state.Read editorial
David Brynn: Making Our Invisible Water Commons Visible Again
Milton Friedman once wrote that "only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas lying around." The rapidly changing climate is the most pressing crisis humanity has ever faced. The earth will be fine, but, if things continue unabated, it will not be fine for most of humanity. The evidence is mounting.

One of the most compelling ideas for addressing pressing ecological issues that is already "lying around" is The Commons. Our commonly held wealth includes the air, water and wildlife, and all three require additional respect, focus and valuation.

Our water commons is ideally suited for the task Barnes has proposed for many reasons. Water is local. Sources of water pollution can be identified. We have proven methods available to us if we can muster the political will. Water is commonly held in Vermont. The state of Vermont has been designated as the trustee of our water commons.

So how do we commoners make our water commons clearly visible as Barnes suggests?  Read Editorial
Congress Passes Wild & Scenic Legislation
Washington, DC - In a rare stroke of bi-partisanship the U.S. Senate recently passed the most significant piece of legislation to protect new Wild and Scenic Rivers in over five years.  With the Senate passing legislation identical to a bill passed by the U.S House the previous week Congress can agree on something-river protections are good public policy when supported by local communities and businesses. 

Vermont's Missisquoi and Trout Rivers are included in the legislation.  Read article
Watching Over Our Watersheds
 As dozens of organizations across Vermont grapple with pollution, erosion and other threats to the health of the state's waterways, a recently formed network aims to boost their efforts.

Watersheds United Vermont works to raise awareness of watershed issues and help local groups more effectively protect the state's water resources. That includes helping members connect with each other and with prospective project partners, and advocating for more funding for watershed protection and restoration projects. Learn more
Keep Endangered Flora Alive and Well
When searching for rare or endangered plants, glancing down at your feet is the most effective approach despite resulting in occasional collisions with trees and inanimate objects.

In Vermont we're fortunate that critical habitat for rare species still exists. In fact, just recently, two of Vermont's most endangered plants were rediscovered. Read editorial
 
Vermont EPSCoR Native American and First Generation Student Scholarship program 
To apply for a VT EPSCoR CWDD Student Scholarship, an applicant must be:

 1.  A Vermont resident and United States citizen

 2. A graduating senior at a Vermont high school planning to attend a Vermont college during the next academic year, OR a current undergraduate enrolled in a degree program at a Vermont college or university, with a GPA of 3.0 or above

3.  Enrolling or enrolled in a STEM major in college

4. Of Native American ancestry OR a first generation college student

Application deadline: April 1st.   More information
Phone: 802.654.3272
NEW! Sign-up with GoodSwipe to Help Lake Champlain
Now through everyday purchases with your debit or credit card at more than 50,000 stores around the nation, a percentage of your purchase can be donated to LCI! Learn how to sign-up here...

 

LCI Welcomes New Business Members

 Leunig's Bistro, located on Church Street in Burlington, has signed on as out newest Sustaining Business Member. Their support will help enable us to keep advocating for the clean Lake Champlain their guests enjoy during their time in Burlington. Stop in for lunch or dinner and be sure to thank Bob for supporting a swimmable, drinkable, fishable Lake Champlain!

Leunig's website


We would also like to welcome Vermont Soap Organics and White & Burke to the LCI Member Family. Thank you so much for your support of a healthy Lake Champlain!


  
Register Your Boat
Whether you are new to boating or have years of experience on the water, it is a good idea to complete a boat safety course in order to earn your Vermont boat license or boating safety card before applying for your Vermont boat registration. Your registration dollars, along with safe use of our state waterways, help to play a role in protecting our natural resources. Learn more


KidsOutsideGETTING KIDS OUTSIDE                BACK TO TOP
Take A Kid Ice Fishing
Ice Fishing Today guest Rory Larson returns with his buddy Nate this season to show us how great kids can be at the sport of Ice Fishing. Armed with Vexilars and the proper tackle, these guys catch 'em one right after the other. They even have time for an on-the-ice fish fry and show us how to clean the fish and cook them up. View video
KidsOutside  AROUND THE WORLD              BACK TO TOP
Rural Water Policy Advisory [12/15/2014]
Washington, D.C. - The Senate passed the $1.1 trillion fiscal year 2015 spending bill and the President is planning on signing it (WashPost). The rural water funding priorities were included at the levels below. The bill includes an iron and steel (Buy American) de minimis waiver option that EPA may issue and "green infrastructure" provisions that are mandatory for wastewater loans but are discretionary for state drinking water loan programs. Also last week, EPA released its awards for the fiscal year 2014 technical fund (EPA announcement). Read advisory

 

Common Drugs Affecting Plant Growth: Study
The commonly prescribed drugs such as diclofenac and ibuprofen that we release into the environment are likely to have a significant impact on plant growth, a new study has warned.

By assessing the impacts of a range of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the research has shown that the growth of edible crops can be affected by these chemicals - even at the very low concentrations found in the environment.

The research led by the University of Exeter Medical School and Plymouth University focused its analysis on lettuce and radish plants and tested the effects of several commonly prescribed drugs, including diclofenac and ibuprofen. Read article
Stormwater Runoff is Killing Puget Sound
Edmund, WA - Taking in the view from the pier on the city's waterfront, it's hard to sense anything could be wrong with Puget Sound.  The water is clear. It's a popular place for people to cast their fishing lines or to toss metal-mesh crab pots into the water. Seals occasionally bob up among the rows of boats in the nearby marina. In winter, rafts of goldeneye ducks float on the waves near the ferry dock.  For all this, Puget Sound, with 2,500 miles of shoreline, isn't nearly as healthy as it looks.

No one knows exactly what is killing the salmon, at rates exceeding 80 percent, Wulkan said. "But they do know it's stormwater. They're guessing it's a mix of contaminants." Read article
TechnologyTECHNOLOGY  & INNOVATION            BACK TO TOP
Vermonter was a Solar Pioneer before Solar was Hot
Leigh Seddon, you could say, made hay while the sun shone. For 35 years, he has been a solar enthusiast, visionary, entrepreneur and consultant - in short, one of Vermont's chief proponents of harnessing sunshine to create electricity.

He has seen solar grow in Vermont from the simple photovoltaic systems installed by off-the-grid, back-to-the-land types of yore to the now, seemingly ubiquitous, rooftop displays and those solar "orchards" with thousands of panels.

"Solar 'orchards' are everywhere. It's just exploding," he says, sitting in the kitchen of his home in Montpelier, a house powered by solar. His roof - its actual weathering surface - consists of glass modules producing more than 100 percent of what he and his wife need, the surplus continually feeding Green Mountain Power Corp., but available as a credit if needed. Read article
Organic Farming can Feed the World if Done Right, Scientists Claim
Organic farming is much more productive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of agricultural studies that challenges the conventional "biased" view that pesticide-free agriculture cannot feed the world.

The study says that organic yields were only 19.2 per cent lower, on average, than those from conventional crops and that this gap could be reduced to just eight per cent if the pesticide-free crops were rotated more frequently.

Furthermore, in some crops - especially leguminous plants such as beans, peas and lentils - there were no significant differences in yields, the researchers from the University of California, Berkeley found. Read article
New Challenge Put Technology to Work to Protect Drinking Water
You likely remember when, this past summer, half a million people who live in the Toledo, Ohio, area were told not to drink the water coming out of their taps for several days. A state of emergency was declared because of a harmful algal bloom, which released toxins into the water that could have made many people ill.

That's why a group of federal agencies and private partners - including EPA's Office of Research and Development and Office of Water - are announcing the Nutrient Sensor Challenge. The challenge will help accelerate the development of sensors that can be deployed in the environment to measure nutrients in our country's waterways. Its goal is to have new, affordable sensors up and running by 2017. Learn more
EventsAllEVENTS                                      BACK TO TOP
Let's Go Fishing Instructor Workshops for 2015 -- Sign Up
Workshops are scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2015, at the Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Castleton, and Saturday, April 11, 2015, at the Fish & Wildlife district office in Essex Junction. If you, or someone you know, would like to join the LGF team of incredible instructors, sign up today!  You need to be 18 years of age or older and want to share your love of fishing and/or knowledge of water resources with the younger generation. Sign up
World Water Day Celebration and Contest
Celebrate World Water Day with the Champlain Basin Education Initiative!

Thursday, March 19, 2015
4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
 
Main St. Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, VT

4:30 Light Refreshments & Viewing of Student Work
5:00 Guest Speaker: Rachael Miller

Learn more

Center for Sustainable Agriculture Calendar

BURLINGTON, VT -- University of Vermont, Center for Sustainable Agriculture Calendar of upcoming courses.  View calendar
 
Did you know there are two Lake Champlain newsletters? 
Looking for fishing & boating news? Then check out LCI's other monthly email newsletter, 'On the Hook!'
 
To subscribe to 'On the Hook,' click here and enter your email address. Simply follow the directions to update your subscription!
 
mychamplain.net | facebook.com/LakeChamplain | Donate | Become A Member

Lake Champlain International (LCI) is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization actively involved in shaping the future of Lake Champlain's water and fisheries health for the well-being of the people who depend on it today and tomorrow.  To protect, restore, and revitalize Lake Champlain and its communities, LCI educates, advocates, and motivates to ensure that Lake Champlain is swimmable, drinkable, and fishable, understanding that healthy water resources are essential for a healthy economy and a healthy community.

____________________________________________ 

 

kid fishing edited

 

Lake Champlain 

International, Inc.                          

531 Main Street

Colchester, VT 05446

802.879.3466  Fax: 802.879.1746 

  

a 501(c)(3) organization   


www.mychamplain.net

LCI on flickr |  Follow LCI on Twitter

Follow us on Facebook | LCI YouTube Channel  

 

Check out these newsletter sponsors that support LCI: 


 
Fish Anywhere
in the Basin!




Be a Part of the Solution!
Help LCI Protect
Our Lake




Help LCI reduce pollution, get kids outside, and restore our native fisheries!

Stay Updated Between Newsletters


Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  View our photos on flickr  View our videos on YouTube

Join Our Mailing List

 
Become an LCI Member!
 



Starting at only $25, you can join LCI and many others in the effort

to conserve, protect, and restore Lake Champlain and our Community!



3 Clicks for a Better Lake



Protect Our Lake

 

Sick of closed beaches
and unsafe water?  

 

BLUE sign with flowers

 

Let LCI Help You  

Certify Your Home as BLUE

 

   


Guidestar




 
Better Business Bureau
 



 
Great Nonprofits
 



1% for the Planet Partner




Good Links to Know


 LCI Staff

James Ehlers
Executive Director 

Eric LaMontagne
Outreach Director 

Liz Ehlers
Business Manager 

Wayne Laroche
Conservation Director

Cathy Pirie Merrill 
Let's Go Fishing Administrator

Meet the LCI Staff! 

 LCI Board of Directors

 
Shawn Bartlett
President  
 
James Ehlers

Jason Galipeau
Treasurer

Scott Goddard

Vice President

 

Mary Catherine Jones
 
Bob Qua

Scott Richardson
Secretary

Bob Shannon

Frank Stanley
 

 LCI Advisory Council 

 
Ed Adrian, Esq., M.S.E.L.

Aleksandra Drizo, Ph.D.

Jim Douglas, Governor (2003-2011)

Brian T. Fitzgerald, M.S.

Sally Flis, Ph.D.

Brian Grenon, Ph.D.

Gary Henry, M.S.

Janette Henry, M.S.

Anthony Iarrapino, Esq.

Scott Mapes, P.E., Esq.

Timothy B. Mihuc, Ph.D.

April Moulaert, M.S.
   

Elijah Stommel, M.D., Ph.D.
 

LCI Business Members support your lake and your community.

Click here to learn how you can become an LCI Business Member!

Our primary fundraiser, the LCI Father's Day Derby presented by Yamaha, is one of the key reasons we are able to accomplish so much throughout the year.
This event would not be possible without support from our partners, including our Principal
and Major Sponsors.

   Jolley Logo   

Lake Champlain International, a Top-Rated Nonprofit Award winner, has earned the Guidestar Exchange Seal and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, illustrating the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and effectiveness as set forth by these internationally trusted organizations.