Contact: Eric Howe, LCBP Program Director (802) 372-3213; David Mears, Vice Dean, Vermont Law School (802) 831-1136
The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and Vermont Law School (VLS) are pleased to announce a "Learning Session" to provide Vermont state-elected and appointed leaders with a briefing by experts in the areas of science, engineering, policy and law for a learning session related to the clean water issues facing the State of Vermont, with a focus on nutrient pollution and the Lake Champlain restoration efforts.
"Understanding the science, economics and law of clean water in Vermont is central to making informed decisions to protect this critical component of our state’s quality of life and prosperity," said David Mears, vice dean for faculty at VLS and former commissioner of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation under the Shumlin administration. "Our rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, from the Connecticut River to Lake Champlain, and from Lake Memphremagog to the Hoosick River, are a vital component of our communities."
This session will provide important information from scientists, engineers, policy experts and attorneys who can describe our current understanding of the clean water challenges in Vermont, with a focus on the Lake Champlain watershed. "Today’s elected and appointed leaders have the opportunity to build on the work of Vermont’s clean water efforts across administrations and party lines over the past several decades to tackle these challenges," said Dr. Eric Howe, director of the LCBP. "This session lays the groundwork for continued progress by providing the latest information from multiple disciplines in order to assist our current leaders in making informed decisions."
The event will be held from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, in Room 11 at the Vermont State House in Montpelier. The session will be introduced by David Deen, chair of the House Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources Committee, and Chris Bray, chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. Scientists, engineers, policy experts and attorneys will provide background and history of management challenges to Lake Champlain and Vermont’s waterways, a legal and policy framework, and solutions the Vermont legislature and the Scott administration can consider. Closing remarks will be provided by Julie Moore, recently appointed by Gov. Scott as secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources.
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Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nation’s largest and deepest environmental law program. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three Master’s Degrees—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees —LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) works in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals to coordinate and fund efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources.
These efforts are guided by the Lake Champlain Management plan, Opportunities for Action. The LCBP works with its program partners, advisory committees, and local communities to implement this plan through a variety of federal, state and local funds. Core funding for the LCBP is through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additional funding is provided through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the National Park Service. For more information, visit www.lcbp.org, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.