Vermont Lake Champlain cleanup faces scrutiny over missing audit and unmet goals

Vermont has invested approximately $928 million since 2016 toward water quality projects, with the majority of funds directed at cleaning up Lake Champlain. Despite this significant expenditure, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the state is not on track to meet its phosphorus reduction goals.

Lawmakers originally mandated an independent audit from an outside environmental consultant a decade ago to evaluate the effectiveness of these investments and determine if state agencies are sufficiently enforcing water quality regulations on farms. This audit was never conducted. Phosphorus runoff from farms, roads, and urban sewers remains a primary driver of pollution, fueling potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms that threaten public health and the tourism industry.

Data indicates that seven of the 15 sampling stations in Lake Champlain have exceeded annual phosphorus limits every year since 2015. Concerns have been raised regarding delayed farm regulations and a fragmented oversight system involving two different agencies.