Cry, Cry the Rivers

An Open Letter to the Honorable Governor Peter Shumlin, from the MadDog Chapter of Trout Unlimited
In the closing hours of preparing this letter to you, we learned of — and certainly applaud — your decision to rescind the emergency stream rules you implemented in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene.


Get the Gravel Out of the River

VNRC v. Wal-Mart: The David and Goliath Story

Over five years ago, VNRC drew a line in the sand when we decided to put our organizational muscle behind halting Wal-Mart’s plans to build an oversized, poorly sited store in a cornfield two miles outside of the city of St. Albans. Going up against the world’s largest retailer is no small feat. Yet, when the health of a great Vermont community’s downtown and its natural resources were at stake — and serving as a bellwether for other communities — VNRC knew it was the right fight to fight. Get an update on this years-long effort.

VNRC Rejects Policy That Paves Farms to Solve Stormwater

Wal-Mart needs a state permit to discharge stormwater into a nearby tributary of Stevens Brook, a stream which already does not meet Vermont water quality standards. Last summer, the Agency of Natural Resources granted the stormwater permit to the developers of the proposed 160,000-square-foot store. But VNRC has appealed the stormwater permit raising concerns about Wal-Mart’s plans to discharge several tons of sediment and nutrients into a tributary that has no capacity to absorb it.

VNRC Celebrates Successful Effort to Help Protect Vermont's Groundwater

For several years VNRC has worked to safeguard the state's groundwater resources – the fresh, cold water that flows beneath our feet – and remove Vermont from its precarious position as one of the last state's in the nation to adequately safeguard this increasingly valuable natural resource. While important steps were taken in the last several years to address this problem, the 2008 legislative session provides Vermont the most important opportunity yet to fill a troubling gap in the state's water law and ensure long-term access to clean, ample supplies of fresh water.

VNRC, New Groundwater Law Featured in New York Times

Felicity Barringer of the New York Times highlights VNRC's role in passing the new groundwater law in an article appearing in Thursday's issue. The law is discussed in the context of other groundwater protection efforts across the country, and is examined against the backdrop of the controversial proposal for a commercial water bottling operation in East Montpelier.

Vermont Enacts Protective New Wetlands Law

MONTPELIER – Wetlands – nature’s water filters – will be better protected in Vermont under legislation that was enacted into law today.

The bill, H.447, was the result of lengthy negotiations among a variety of interest groups. The measure will require inaccurate state wetlands maps to be updated and also mandate better protections for wetlands.

“This legislation shows what Vermonters with widely divergent interests can accomplish when they sit down and focus on what’s good for Vermont’s natural resources over the long haul,” said Kim Greenwood, staff scientist for the Vermont Natural Resources Council. “All parties here have made compromises for the greater good of improving the regulation of our wetlands,” she said.

Water Bottling Company Sets Sights on East Montpelier Spring

A large-scale commercial water bottling operation is being proposed in central Vermont. Representatives from the Montpelier Spring Water Company hope to tap one of East Montpelier’s fresh water springs, like this one pictured here in Danby, and sell the fresh water resource commercially. VNRC is tracking the issue closely, as Vermont continues to lag behind other Northeastern states in protecting its valuable groundwater resources.

The Case for Declaring Groundwater a Public Resource

This year, protecting the state’s groundwater is high on VNRC’s agenda.

We are urging lawmakers to formally declare groundwater — the source of drinking water for two-thirds of Vermonters — a public trust resource. This declaration is a fundamental step toward protecting this resource now, and for future generations of Vermonters. Click on the link to read why this step is crucial to protecting the water that runs beneath our feet.

The World Water Crisis and the State of Vermont

This summer, VNRC member and water warrior Dot Helling ran around the world to raise awareness about water, taking up the baton from China (pictured here) to the Czech Republic and back home to the United States. The water pollution, depletion and resource wars Dot witnessed are real, and they are intensifying. They are also not isolated to places beyond Vermont borders. The Green Mountain State has and will continue to face water problems due to the state’s failure to adequately protect drinking water from pollution, depletion and privatization. Read more here or learn more about Dot’s journey, VNRC’s work on this issue and what Vermont must do to safeguard our drinking water supplies at 7 p.m., Tuesday, October 23 at the Unitarian Church in Montpelier.