Wearable art
Flying high
Titles won
Ellen Spring shares the secret to hand painting silk blouses and scarves. See Arts + Leisure.
A wildlife expert has a comeback story to tell about eagles and falcons. See Page 10B.
Local swimmers claimed league titles and set records this past weekend. See Sports, Page 1B.
ADDISON COUNTY
Vol. 71 No. 31
INDEPENDENT Middlebury, Vermont
Thursday, August 3, 2017
40 Pages
$1.00
Special Report
Feds seek Champlain cleanup cuts; state pushes back EPA chief, Vermonters at odds over who pays $2B price tag
By JOHN FLOWERS, GAEN on Lake Champlain water quality MURPREE, WILL DiGRAVIO improvements. and JOHN S. McCRIGHT “The EPA will encourage New VERMONT — Strides have York and Vermont to continue to been made toward cleaning up make progress in restoring Lake Lake Champlain since the Vermont Champlain from within core water Legislature two years ago passed programs,” reads the proposed Act 64, the Vermont Clean Water 2018 budget for the EPA, under Act, and the U.S. Environmental the direction of Administrator Protection Agency released its Lake Scott Pruitt. “This funding change Champlain phosphoruseliminates the Lake reduction targets last “Presidents of Champlain program. summer. This change returns both parties Steps taken have have supported the responsibility ranged from issuing funding for Lake for funding local new agricultural Champlain ever environmental efforts best-practice rules to since we passed and programs to state curtailing phosphorus legislation in 1991 and local entities.” runoff into rivers to establish the The budget, released and the lake; to the Lake Champlain in May, also reduces repairing of roadsides, Special Designation funding to other which similarly reduces Act. The Trump geographically specific erosion; to taking the Administration’s cleanup projects in first steps in reducing call to eliminate the Gulf of Mexico, spillage of sewage and these investments Chesapeake Bay and road salts into Vermont is a travesty.” Puget Sound. waters. Does this mean — Sen. Patrick But some fear Leahy that the huge effort the effort to clean Vermonters have made Lake Champlain of to start restoration of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and Lake Champlain and to improve other toxins and preserve its waters water quality generally will fall by for recreation, drinking, tourism and the wayside? How will Vermont pay natural beauty could be hampered for this? by a change in administration at the The answers vary. No doubt, federal level. programs are well underway The cost of this huge undertaking toward the cleanup goal (see is estimated at $2.3 billion over the story, right). But the Lewis Creek next 20 years. For the current fiscal Association, for one, is preparing year, the EPA allocated nearly $4.4 for less federal money to help it million toward the Lake Champlain achieve its mission. cleanup. But in its proposed FY The association, which is devoted 2018 budget the EPA looks to reduce to restoring this Lake Champlain its overall spending by 30 percent tributary that flows through northern and essentially zero out spending (See Status of cleanup, Page 11A)
EPA ADMINISTRATOR SCOTT PRUITT
A KAYAKER COOLS off with a swim in Lake Champlain two summers ago. Vermont has commenced a 20-year, $2.3 billion effort to improve water quality in the lake and other waterways to preserve the state’s waters for recreation, drinking, tourism and economic development. Some fear the federal government won’t foot its share of the bill.
Photo courtesy of Chris Robbins and Peter Hamlin
Towns, farms move full steam ahead on water quality State programs and transportation projects are as yet unaffected By GAEN MURPREE VERMONT — While politicians and federal agencies jockey to pay for the $2.3 billion clean up of Lake Champlain and improvement of Vermont’s waters, state and local agencies tasked with making it all happen are moving full speed ahead. Agriculture officials have written and begun to implement rules for curbing the amount of animal waste and other phosphorous from getting into the lake. Towns are surveying work they need to do to stop runoff from roads and beginning projects. Municipalities are trying to get their arms around how to reduce the amount of sewage that escapes into rivers. It is all to meet the mandates of the 2015 Vermont Clean Water Act, as well as the U.S. Environmental (See Agriculture, Page 13A)
Malt maker, Ferrisburgh strike deal for prime land
By the way Organizers of the 39th annual Festival on-the-Green in Middlebury report some spectators left the talent showcase (See By the way, Page 2A)
Index Obituaries................................. 6A Classifieds.......................... 4B-9B Service Directory............... 6B-7B Entertainment.........Arts + Leisure Community Calendar......... 8A-9A Arts Calendar.........Arts + Leisure Sports................................. 1B-3B
respectively. By ANDY “We can bring “I’m very hopeful,” KIRKALDY said. FERRISBURGH grain-growing back Peterson “At this point I’m — The Ferrisburgh to New England committing money selectboard on and Vermont. to attorneys and Tuesday agreed on It went west engineering firms. I a $337,500 deal to certainly wouldn’t do sell the town-owned 150 years ago, that if I didn’t think 34.91-acre parcel at and I think it’s that ultimately we the junction of Routes really important. couldn’t get it done.” 7 and 22A to Andrew It’s good for the Ferrisburgh Peterson of Monkton, sustainability Selectboard owner of Peterson of agriculture in Chairwoman Loretta Quality Malt. Lawrence said she P e t e r s o n Vermont to be able and other board plans to build a to have it become members are also 1 0 , 0 0 0 - s q u a r e - local again.” foot, barn-like — Andrew Peterson hopeful this time around they have a malt-processing buyer who can meet house and to grow barley on the land. He said he is contract contingencies after two optimistic the deal can eventually earlier deals fell apart. She noted close despite the hurdles that remain, Peterson has had encouraging early such as permitting and financing contacts with state officials about his contingencies that are due to be plans. met in January and November, (See Ferrisburgh, Page 3A)
SHOREHAM ROAD FOREMAN Jason Paquette, left, and Addison County Regional Planning Commission Transportation Planner Josh Donabedian examine a road together in Shoreham to inventory water quality-related improvements. To prevent phosphorus from reaching Lake Champlain, this stretch of Lapham Bay Road will likely need two larger culverts. Nineteen Addison County towns have similar work lined up in the coming year. Independent photo/Trent Campbell
Stevens keeps Abenaki legacy alive Tribal chief wants to ensure customs and culture endure By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — Monday through Friday, Don Stevens ensures the Counseling Service of Addison County’s computers are working in harmony, as the organization’s information technology manager. The rest of the week, Stevens is responsible for the well being of an entire people, as chief of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe. Stevens, 51, explained his role as a Native American leader during a recent interview with the Addison Independent. It’s a responsibility he takes very seriously, knowing that Abenaki language, customs and culture will only be found in history books if they aren’t passed on to future generations. “I have an awesome responsibility, along with others, to get that recognition that our people didn’t have, so we can carry on our culture and give opportunities to our children,” Stevens said. “You have to have pride in DON STEVENS, CHIEF of the Nulhagen Abenaki who you are.” Stevens can trace his Abenaki roots back to 1787 and Tribe, leads his late mother, Margaret, at a tribal celebration. Stevens works at the Counseling Antoine Phillips, a former chief of his tribe. Service of Addison County. (See Abenaki, Page 7A) Courtesy photo