Organization Profiles

Conservation Law Foundation

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is an organization of attorneys, scientists, economists, and policy experts who work on the greatest threats to New England's natural environment and the health of its residents. CLF's Vermont office was founded in the early 1980s and has been a consistent advocate for clean water, responsible land management, and safe and sustainable energy production. WaterWheel began actively supporting CLF in 2000, and in total has given CLF $380,000 in grants.

The grants have enabled CLF to become the leading advocate of actual enforcement of the Clean Water Act in Vermont, and to begin actually stopping pollution from flowing into the Lake. As a result of CLF's efforts, including several major legal victories, significant changes have been forced in the control of polluted stormwater runoff from development. CLF has tackled pollution from factory farms, industrial-scale operations which thus far have not been regulated under mandatory Clean Water Act permits. It has also pursued wastewater treatment plants which often do not have adequate controls to stop phosphorus pollution from dumping into the Lake.

Lake Champlain Lakekeeper

Another component of CLF's clean water initiative is the Lake Champlain Lakekeeper, established in 2002. Modeled on the Hudson Riverkeeper, its mission is to protect and restore Lake Champlain; fighting for better controls on water pollution and rallying citizens in support of the cause. WaterWheel's donation of $40,000 in early 2003 was instrumental in getting the Lakekeeper off the ground (so to speak).

The Lakekeeper himself is Robert Moore, a nationally recognized expert and public advocate on the actual implementation of the Clean Water Act. Moore routinely patrols the lake, investigating pollution problems, taking water quality samples, and working to educate the public and key decision makers. Working in concert with the legal resources of CLF, the Lakekeeper will:

• Hold polluters and state agencies accountable for their actions.
• Investigate pollution problems and make sure the responsible parties clean them up.
• Scrutinize crucial decisions that affect water quality in Lake Champlain and its tributary streams.
• Respond to citizen complaints of water pollution and work with them to solve the problem.
• Be a champion for protecting and restoring Lake Champlain.

Lake Champlain Committee

The Lake Champlain Committee (LCC) has received two grants of $25,000 each for general operating expenses. Founded in 1963, LCC's mission is to protect the natural resources and scenic beauty of Lake Champlain and the Champlain Valley through advocacy, education, and research. Lori Fisher, LCC's Executive Director, explains the situation:

"Nearly 200,000 people rely on Lake Champlain for drinking water every day. The Lake is a breeding ground for hundreds of wildlife species and provides one of the finest game fisheries in North America. Over $880 million is generated annually in lake-related tourism. The health of the economy and the vitality of recreational opportunities within the region are inextricably tied to the health of the Lake. Today, due to nutrient loading, toxic pollution and the spread of nuisance plants and animals, the Lake is in trouble".

"We have an ambitious program underway focused on reducing toxics and phosphorus, managing invasive species, promoting pollution prevention programs, and expanding low-impact recreational opportunities. We will oversee clean-up efforts on toxic waste sites, advance legislation to reduce mercury and advocate for comprehensive lake research to gain a better understanding of toxic inputs to the Lake. Through our technical task force on phosphorus we will develop a comprehensive funding and implementation strategy to accelerate the time frame for phosphorus reduction."

LCC played a key role in the multi-party agreement to clean up of the Barge Canal Superfund site in Burlington, VT. The agreement has been hailed by the EPA as a model for cleaning up Superfund sites across the country. More recently, LCC has encouraged individuals to take a more active and personal role in helping the Lake via its Lake Champlain Pledge. Vermont's Governor Jim Douglas recently took the pledge, and announced that he was officially committing the state to an accelerated timetable for phosphorus reductions - something LCC has advocated since 1996.

Lake Champlain Land Trust

The Lake Champlain Land Trust (LCLT) has received five grants from WaterWheel for land conservation projects, in total $138,700. $30,000 went to conserving the Landon Farm/Round Pond in South Hero, part of the Lake Champlain Islands. $46,000 went to the Mallets Creek Conservation area, and another $2,700 to the Mill River project in Georgia, VT. $20,000 was donated toward the purchase of Rock Island, a half acre island in St Albans Bay in Lake Champlain and a nesting site for the endangered bird species, the Common Tern. Rock Island is home to 71% of the Common Tern fledglings hatched on the Lake. LCLT's resident ornithologist reports that, although still endangered, Tern populations are strong and growing. According to Peter Espenshade, LCLT Executive Director, the preservation of land in the Lake Champlain Basin is crucial to the future of the Lake:

"The preservation of Rock Island has been one of our goals for years now. Land conservation is a permanent solution to some of Lake Champlain's most pressing problems: the over-development of shoreline, the loss of public access opportunities, and the loss of species habitat. Conservation projects like Rock Island are a permanent legacy that we leave for future generations."

LCLT also received $40,000 to finalize the purchase of the Malletts Bay Natural Area in Colchester, VT. Located near Burlington, the Natural Area will be an oasis of green in a desert of development. The total cost of this project is $480,000. LCLT Associate Director Jennifer Morrissey had this to say about the acquisition:

"The project will double the size of the Natural Area, thus preserving over 560 acres of woodland hiking trails and beautiful lake views while curbing development in a region increasingly pressured by urban expansion."

Since its inception in 1978, the LCLT has preserved over $23 million of land in Lake Champlain and its watershed, protecting it from development and preserving it for public access in perpetuity.

University of Vermont

$33,000 was donated to the University of Vermont Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory to equip its Teaching Laboratory with a state-of-the art video/computer projection system and video microscope. The Teaching Lab is used by teachers and students from Vermont's colleges and secondary schools to provide an interactive environment for experiential learning about Lake Champlain. Dr. Mary Watzin, UVM Professor of Natural Resources and manager of the project, describes the benefits of the new equipment:

"We are thrilled with the prospect of having such great teaching equipment in the classroom. The computer projection unit and video microscope will make it possible for students to observe multiple images on the screen at once including live samples, web pages, course materials and so on."

The Laboratory is situated on Burlington's waterfront next to the Lake Champlain Basin Science Center. Research will focus on the impact of human activities on the Lake Champlain Basin ecosystem using specialized labs for the study of water quality, soils and sediments, aquatic biota and the pollutants that threaten them.

Lewis Creek Association (LCA)

LCA has received four grants, $14,500 in total. Based in Charlotte, Vermont and founded in 1990, LCA is a watershed advocacy group that seeks to protect water quality through a holistic approach linking volunteers, the environment, and the local economy. LCA operates a number of programs including community outreach, wildlife tracking, stream bank restoration, and land preservation. It is also a member of the Addison County River Watch Collaborative, which published a comprehensive report on the County's water quality in 1998. "These funds will enable the LCA to continue our citizen-based program for cleaner water and improved wildlife habitat," stated Linda Henzel, LCA Coordinator, "both important contributions to a healthier Lake Champlain."

Missisquoi River Basin Association (MRBA)

MRBA has received two unrestricted grants of $2,000. Based in Franklin County, Vermont, MRBA's mission is to restore and maintain the ecological integrity of the Missisquoi River system so that the uses and values desired by the community are supported by the river and quality of its water. They perform streambank restoration fieldwork, hold public forums on water quality, organize recreational canoe and river cleanup outings, improve canoe access paths to the river, cost share in a nutrient management program with local farmers, and prepare educational tools on water quality issues for local teachers.

Friends of the Winooski River (FWR)

FWR has received two grants, in total $7,000. Based in central Vermont, FWR works to reduce pollution in the rivers of the Winooski watershed, promote wildlife habitat, scenic value, and recreational amenity. It is involved in streambank restoration, river clean-up projects, water quality monitoring, and various fun and educational activities for the local community. FWR also helps organize the annual Celebrate the Winooski Festival in Montpelier.

Franklin Watershed Committee (FWC)

FWC of Enosburg Falls received an unrestricted grant of $2,000. FWC seeks to improve the water quality of Lake Carmi and the Rock River through public education. The area is a major recreational destination in northwestern Vermont as well as home to many large farms.

AuSable River Association (ARA)

ARA has received two grants of $2,000. Based in Elizabethtown, New York, the ARA's mission is to protect and enhance the natural and cultural resources of the AuSable River watershed. The ARA writes grants for implementing solutions for environmental and other problems. The Association also advises watershed residents about environmental permitting processes. Some projects the ARA has been involved with include the protection of 21 acres of wetlands and stream quality with horse exclusion fencing, investigating and prioritizing bank erosion along both branches and the main stem of the AuSable River, and development of the best management practices for road construction and maintenance in steep gradient developments.

Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC)

VNRC has received four grants from the WaterWheel Foundation for a total of $107,500. One grant was given to create reports detailing agricultural pollution and its effect on water quality. Additional grants have been given to fund general operations of VNRC's Lake Champlain Pollution Prevention Program. Recently VNRC published "Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back Into The Water... Lake Champlain's Pollution Problems", a summary of issues facing the Lake.

According to Kim Kendall, VNRC Staff Scientist, "VNRC has developed a plan for Lake clean up that focuses on the most significant pollution sources and involves people through a community-based approach addressing problems at their source in the rivers that flow into the Lake." VNRC was instrumental in convincing Vermont to enact the Mercury Bill requiring labeling and recycling of products containing mercury.

Excess nutrients which flow into the Lake from agricultural and urban runoff make possible the blue-green algae which may have killed a number of dogs last summer. The Vermont Legislature is presently considering legislation to address stormwater pollution, an important issue as Kim Kendall explains:

"Vermont's current efforts to control stormwater pollution are not enough to make substantial improvements to the lake and reduce nutrients, bacteria, and algae growth from polluted runoff. That is why VNRC is pushing hard to see passage of strong legislation that sufficiently addresses the problems resulting from unmanaged stormwater runoff from urban and suburban land uses."

VNRC's mission is to protect the state's environment for present and future generations through research, education, and advocacy. The organization was founded in 1963 and is based in Montpelier, VT.

Rural Vermont

Received $10,000 to study the environmental and economic impact of factory farms and to recommend how they should be regulated. Rural Vermont's mission is to bring economic justice, sustainability, and prosperity to the farms and rural communities of Vermont. It supports a strong rural economy that is environmentally sound, economically just, and based on traditional family farms.

Ellen Taggart, Executive Director of Rural Vermont, explains the need to rethink Vermont's agricultural policies: "Farm size is growing dramatically and with it the impact agriculture has on rural communities and water quality, especially in the Lake Champlain Basin. The legislature must act to curb those impacts. Even more so, policy makers must understand that what's needed most is a comprehensive state farm policy that builds opportunities for sustainable agriculture to flourish." The non-profit is based in Montpelier and is a member of the Clean Water Network.