Editor’s note: This commentary is by Patricia Moulton, the secretary of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and Deb Markowitz, the secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
[G]ov. Shumlin, in his inaugural address, noted that “protecting Lake Champlain means protecting our economy.” Indeed, every governor before him in recent memory has made similar observations about how closely Vermont’s prosperity is tied to our land-based economy and healthy natural environment. As the secretaries of the Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development we recognize that we have a shared mission — to protect the ecological health and natural resources of our Green Mountain State as well as to ensure future prosperity by promoting commerce and creating jobs. We have learned that we are able to achieve the greatest benefits for Vermonters when we work together to get this done. The Clean Water Bill working its way through the Vermont General Assembly is a great example of this approach to protecting and restoring Vermont’s environment and economy.
Vermont’s economy has grown over the years. Unfortunately, the pollution flowing into our lakes and waterways has kept pace with this growth. Whether it was clearing most of the state’s forests to raise sheep in earlier centuries, the steady increase in the dairy industry, or more recently, added development in Vermont’s communities, the combined impact on the land has led to soil erosion and polluted stormwater spilling into rivers. Each of these trends, while boons to the economy, resulted in greater levels of sediment and pollution flowing into our waters.
As the Vermont Legislature considers a comprehensive clean water bill, we see this as our continued effort to balance promoting prosperity and maintaining environmental integrity. We have learned from our past and recognize that the state’s long-term economic future depends upon a clean environment.
Data shows that pollution in Lake Champlain and other water bodies hurts Vermont’s economic health. Vermont receives $2.5 billion from tourism each year, with a large share of that, some $300 million, coming from activity in and around Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain anglers alone spent nearly $72 million on fishing and related activities in 2012. Nutrient pollution and the resulting cyano-bacteria outbreaks (or blue-green algae blooms) present a serious threat to all of this lake-based economic activity.
We cannot ignore the decline in Vermont’s water quality and owe to our children and future generations to restore the lakes and rivers to a healthy level.
If you need confirmation that this threat is real, ask Chuck Lowe and his staff at the Bayside Pavilion restaurant on St. Albans Bay. Chuck and his team have experienced the economic challenge from declining water quality. Late July and August should be peak summer tourism season and a busy time at Bayside. Instead, many of those renting homes nearby have said that the blue-green algae will deter them from returning to this part of Vermont when they pick a vacation spot next year. Bayside is not alone in suffering the economic impacts of water pollution. Many lakefront homes in their area have been on the market for years, and homeowners there have begun to advocate for a re-appraisal of their property values.
The clean water initiative under consideration by the Vermont Legislature will be an important step towards cleaning up Vermont’s waters. The initiative provides increased oversight and enforcement targeted at the key sources of water pollution – agricultural lands, developed lands, town and state roads, and unstable river banks. The proposal also includes nearly $8 million of new investments in water quality efforts, most which would be targeted towards partners of state government doing real work on the ground to reduce pollution.
Along with environmental solutions, the clean water initiative includes many economic benefits, including additional jobs for Vermonters. It is estimated that for each $36,000 invested in road projects, a new job is created. One dollar of water and sewer infrastructure investment increases private output in the long-term by $6.35, according to a study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The jobs created helping to clean Vermont’s waters are significant, but they are only the beginning. The overall value of a clean and welcoming Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog, Connecticut River and their watersheds cannot be overstated. The health of these rivers and lakes is vital to the future of the state. We cannot ignore the decline in Vermont’s water quality and owe to our children and future generations to restore the lakes and rivers to a healthy level.
The clean water initiative is Vermont’s opportunity to ensure a healthier, more prosperous future for the state. Let’s get it right.
