Dear Editor,
I recently wrote to NEK legislators in support of Rep. Woody Page’s “lake in crisis” legislation H.113. I encourage all readers to write or call their representatives to ask that they support this bill.
It is a bill that will protect one of our region’s most valuable natural water resources, Lake Memphremagog, and the people, fish and wildlife that depend upon it, including the 175,000 Quebec neighbors whose drinking water reservoir is the lake.
Protecting one of the NEK’s jewels, Lake Memphremagog, and its tributaries, from phosphorus pollution or contamination from hazardous effluent from any type or source, must be a priority for our legislators.
Woody Page recognizes this priority and has stood up often to testify to the importance of protecting our water resources for our people, our fish and wildlife, and our tourist/recreational economy.
It is my hope that H.113 will be passed this session, with support from a unified NEK coalition, so that this bill, and all others that focus on protecting our NEK and Vermont natural resources from all forms of environmental contamination, will cross the finish line in 2025.
On the other hand, I wrote to the same legislators to request no support for H.152, which would eliminate the requirement for permitting and public input for “pilot” treatment technologies for landfill emissions, including leachate and landfill gas emissions. These emissions contain many hazardous chemicals, including PFAS, which are a well-documented threat to the health and safety of the environment and public health. The opportunity to publicly identify concerns about insufficient technologies before they are piloted will be eliminated if H.152 passes.
I would support an entirely different bill, requiring experimental pilot projects to adhere strictly to permitting requirements and manufacturer’s recommendations, supported by the latest scientific research and overseen by informed and objective third parties, including the public.
Protecting the health and safety of our environment, public, wildlife and economy must be our legislative priority, as well as protecting the right of the public to weigh in on proposals such as pilot treatment technologies for hazardous emissions from landfill or other sources.
Peggy Stevens
Charleston
Read the story on VTDigger here: Peggy Stevens: Legislation affecting environmental health and safety in the Northeast Kingdom.