$1.9M Available to Help Vermont Public Schools Meet Stormwater Rule

More than $1.9 million will soon be available to help Vermont public schools and state colleges in the Lake Champlain basin meet a new stormwater regulation to reduce pollution from entering the lake, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation said Tuesday.

A new permit requires sites with three or more acres of paved or developed surfaces, including roofs and parking lots, to treat stormwater before it enters the lake, which is a critical part of the lake restoration plan, the department said.

The funding from the department’s Green Schools Initiative will provide financial and and technical assistance to help schools meet the regulation, officials said.

“In partnership with Senator Leahy’s Office and the Lake Champlain Basin Program, the State has secured funds to support stormwater design and permitting for all Three-Acre schools in the Lake Champlain basin that wish to participate,” Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore said in a written statement.

The department said it will also collaborate with the Lake Champlain Sea Grant to give education and outreach on stormwater to school communities.