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The Vermont House passed a bill that would strengthen participation of citizens in environmental enforcement decisions. The bill allows a 30-day public comment period on any penalties assessed with regard to environmental violations, and allows for…

The Vermont legislature passed a bill that will help facilitate drug take-back programs at pharmacies. Unwanted pharmaceuticals present a potential water quality hazard when they are carelessly dumped down the toilet. In an ideal situation consumers…

Lake flooding presents numerous recreational hazards. Incredible amounts of debris, large litter and logs, now float around the lake. Some normally exposed structures, like the Burlington breakwater, are under water. Many of Lake Champlain’s sand…

Lake Champlain remains well above flood stage though it has receded from its maximum of 103.2’, reached on May 6th. At that height the lake contained an extra 867 billion gallons of water and the area of the lake increased by 15%. During the last…

Lake flooding presents a mixed bag for the animals of the region. Some fish species will likely benefit from the extra area for spawning. In particular, pike, pickerel, and carp spawn in shallows along the shore and the extra water increases the area…

The unprecedented flooding and high lake levels have closed beaches and access areas and submerged Trail sites. LCC is working with state and municipal officials and private landowners to assess the damage to the 39 Trail locations. Several sites may…

The Vermont legislature joined seven other states in regulating the use of phosphorus fertilizer on lawns. LCC has long-advocated for this important step in reducing pollution to Lake Champlain. In 2003 we spurred an investigation of lawn phosphorus…

Lake Champlain reached new heights this spring, cresting at 103.2' on Friday, May 6th, shattering the previous record high level in May of 1869 (~102.1’). High water has inundated homes, displaced people, closed roads, triggered mudslides, and…

If you’ve had an address change recently, please send us an email so we can update your files and ensure you receive news on lake issues and LCC’s work. Our primary form of communication with members is through email. By mailing electronically we…

The interior spaces of our new office provide opportunities to visually convey our mission of protecting lake health and access. We are looking for the following items to help our work and enhance the space: Flat panel computer monitors with 20 inch…

Thanks to the many people who assisted LCC with our move to 208 Flynn Avenue in Burlington. We couldn’t have done it without the generous time and support of Dave Farrington, Bren Alvarez and the wonderful building, painting and moving team from…

Lake Champlain Committee Staff Scientist Mike Winslow has been invited to serve on a workgroup guiding efforts to develop a revised Lake Champlain pollution loading model. The work group will provide input to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)…

In Montpelier two bills are pending that could use citizen support. The first is a bill to limit the sale and use of lawn fertilizers (H.26). The bill would require homeowners to have a soil test that showed their lawns needed phosphorus prior to…

The Lake Champlain Committee has moved closer to the lake! We are now located at 208 Flynn Avenue, Bldng 3 – Studio 3-F, Burlington, Vermont. Please make note of our new address. We are in a larger office complex that will provide us with better…

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an aggressive plan to significantly reduce the budgets of critical federal environmental programs. The budget proposed by the House slashed the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by almost $3…

Following on a 2008 lawsuit from the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to rewrite the Lake Champlain phosphorus budget known as a TMDL. The TMDL established an amount of phosphorus that can be…

The Vermont legislature is considering bills (H. 26 and S. 35) that would limit the amount of lawn fertilizers used in the state. Frequently, homeowners apply fertilizer in excess of what is needed by lawns. Excess fertilizer has detrimental affects…

The Lake Champlain Committee and environmental consulting firm Arrowwood Environmental have won a competitive grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program to conduct an invasive species survey of Missisquoi Bay. In recent years, Missisquoi Bay has…

A new version of Opportunities for Action has been released. Opportunities for Action is the management plan that guides how federal and state resources are spent to protect and restore Lake Champlain. Regular revisions to Opportunities for Action…

LCC has been awarded a pollution prevention grant in the most recent round of competitive funding from the Lake Champlain Basin Program. LCC will conduct a water conservation education and outreach program working with multiple partners and in…

Throughout the country municipalities and states have struggled over what to do with old or unneeded pharmaceuticals. Too often, they are simply flushed down the toilet, but sewage treatment plants aren’t necessarily equipped to remove them. As a…

If you’re a skilled carpenter with time on your hands we could use your help! LCC is looking for several volunteers to tackle an interior job building walls and work counters for our office space. The project work will likely take place late winter…

Winter often offers a frozen lake for skating, fishing, and myriad other activities. Throughout the winter you can watch for changes in the ice as it continues to grow, shrink, and move. Three phenomena that demonstrate the dynamic nature of ice are…

Let us know if there is anyone whom you think would enjoy getting our Ripples E-News bulletins and please, forward it on to colleagues, friends, and relatives that share your love of the lake. We welcome your comments and suggestions for topics to…

If you’ve had an address change recently, please send us an email so we can update your files and ensure you receive news on lake issues and LCC’s work. Our primary form of communication with members is through email. By mailing electronically we…

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI) is leading a pilot project to assess the effectiveness of benthic barrier mats in controlling Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), the newest aquatic invasive species in Lake…

The Burlington Free Press reported that researchers from the University of Vermont (UVM) are conducting the first survey since the 1930s of lake whitefish populations in Lake Champlain, and the results have been promising. Whitefish are relatives of…

Results from the Lake Champlain Committee's volunteer water monitoring program provide insight into the levels and locations of nutrient pollution. In 2010, significant algae blooms developed early during a July heat wave. Evidence of the bloom was…

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) conducted a series of public hearings about the proposal to place a cable underneath Lake Champlain to transport electricity to New York City. LCC testified about concerns regarding impacts to the…

It was November of 2009 when the Champlain Bridge was suddenly closed for good due to structural weaknesses in the bridge supports. One year later the bridge is gone; destroyed in a controlled explosion last December. Debris from the original bridge…

LCC received a $1,500 gift from our friends at the Regatta for Lake Champlain. Established in 2004, the Regatta is a fun annual sailing event that raises funds to support organizations working to promote the health, well-being and sustainable use of…

Autmn’s panoply of colors blankets the mountains of the Champlain Valley. All summer the trees have been investing in short-term high-yield leaves to collect sunlight, and then placing the dividends in long-term wood. Now, they’re dumping their…

If you’ve had an address change recently, please send us an email so we can correct your files and ensure that we keep you updated on lake issues and LCC’s work. LCC’s primary form of communication with members is through email. By mailing…

What happens to all the leaves that fall into the Champlain Valley’s rivers during autumn as they make their way to Lake Champlain? Why does a thin line of clouds appear over the lake on crisp October days? Why do you sometimes notice a stale rotten…

October is usually the month when Lake Champlain reaches its lowest levels. The average lake level for October is 95.03 feet. Water evaporates throughout the heat of the summer. When plants are growing they transpire water through their leaves…

The presence of pharmaceuticals and other “new generation” contaminants in surface waters of the United States has been well documented. In Lake Champlain, for example, researchers have found caffeine, HHCB (a musk fragrance), metolachlor (an…

On October 31, 2009 winds buffeted the Champlain Valley stirring the leaves of Halloween. The winds were sustained over a twelve hour period. The next day, the Plattsburgh Press Republican reported wind damage from throughout Essex and Clinton…

Landlocked Atlantic salmon head from Lake Champlain into tributaries to spawn during the fall. The main run of salmon usually extends from early September into mid-November...

The underwater cap at the Burlington Barge Canal Superfund Site is being repaired to ensure that contaminants don’t migrate to Lake Champlain. The $3.5 million sand and silt cap, originally installed during 2003 and 2004, has been largely…

The presence of a new exotic species, Asian clam, has been confirmed in Lake George, NY. Lake George drains directly to Lake Champlain via the LaChute River. The thumbnail-sized Asian clam, blamed for clouding Lake Tahoe in the High Sierras...