Editor’s note: This commentary is by Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore, of Middlesex.
[I] had the opportunity to address a meeting of clean water leaders at the end of January and in my remarks, I made the case for patient stewardship. There was clear push back from some in attendance that my call for a slow-and-steady approach belied the sense of urgency that is needed, but I don’t see that as the case. Embracing persistent stewardship does not mean denying urgency. A river cuts through rock not only because of its immediate force, but largely from its persistence over time. If we are willing to apply pressure over an extended period, we can, and we will, reach our water quality goals.
About 13 years ago, my husband and I built a house in Middlesex. It took us over a year to find the right piece of property, six months to design the plans, a summer to dig the foundation hole, form the footings, pour the basement walls and frame the first floor. It took several more months to raise the second floor and put the roof on and 10 more months to plumb, wire and finish the interior. My point is simply this: for what felt like a small forever, we had very little to show despite our tremendous investment of time, sweat and money. Our bank account was depleted, our hands were calloused and we were exhausted. But we persevered. For more than two years, we woke up every day and said to one another, “We are going to see this project through to completion. We are going to build our own house.” We would not let ourselves lose sight of our larger vision. This firm commitment to our goal was the reason we succeeded.
All of us as Vermonters are now embarking on a decades-long mission to restore the state’s water quality. As we do this work, we need to become visionaries and careful observers. As visionaries, we must take the long view. The current condition of our waterways is the result of decades and even centuries of human influence on the landscape. Restoring these waterways will require a many-year commitment. As careful observers, we must learn to see and celebrate the water quality changes that are already occurring. Since 2016, the state has teamed with nonprofits, communities and companies to complete more than 1,400 water quality projects to improve 15,000 acres of farmland, conserve or restore 1,500 acres of river corridors, floodplains, and wetlands, and treat stormwater runoff from more than 75 miles of roads and 100 acres of parking lots and other impervious surfaces. Yet, it can be hard to recognize these changes. For example, many of us still drive along Vermont’s highways and byways unaware of the new stone-lined ditches that have been installed to prevent hundreds of pounds of dirt and gravel from entering our waterways. When we become careful observers, we begin to see these seemingly small projects and notice the collective impact.
One type of project that may be hard to recognize at first is a natural resources restoration project. Much of Vermont’s water pollution occurs during wet weather events – stormwater runoff, snowmelt, and flood-related erosion. The best strategies for controlling wet weather pollution rely on natural solutions such as allowing woody vegetation to re-establish along river banks, installing rain gardens and other green infrastructure with vegetation to intercept and store stormwater and plugging ditches on marginal farmland to allow wetlands to re-form and re-vegetate. These solutions take time to root. Anyone who has planted an apple tree in their backyard knows that a tree does not bear fruit in its first year, but most would agree that the initial investment was well worth the wait. It’s the same story for nature-based solutions that control runoff.
Upfront costs may feel like an insurmountable burden, especially when the initial investment does not provide immediate results. In her 2017 report, Treasurer Beth Pearce estimated that the total cost of the programs and projects called for in Act 64 – Vermont’s Clean Water Act – were anticipated to total more than $2 billion. While this is a daunting price tag, it is not an excuse for inaction. We’re already well on our way to funding it. In the last two years, the state has invested $100 million in water quality improvements.
Let’s continue this work with a patient persistence founded in a deep sense of urgency. Seek out your local watershed group or conservation district and learn more about how you can work to reduce the footprint of your home or business on Vermont’s rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. If each one of us takes action, no matter how small, in service of water quality and embraces an attitude of persistent stewardship, we will see our collective good work reflected in fewer algal blooms, fewer combined sewer overflows, and a more resilient landscape.
