Morning Read: EPA rejects Lake Champlain clean-up plan

The Burlington Free Press is reporting this morning that the Federal EPA wants a fresh look at plans to cut phosphorous pollution pouring into Lake Champlain.

The decision was announced on Monday.   This from the Free Press.

Phosphorus, which feeds noxious weed and algae growth, is considered the lake’s primary pollutant. Despite nine years of work and $100 million in spending, there has been no significant decrease in phosphorus anywhere in Lake Champlain since adoption of the plan.

But the decision Monday by EPA Region 1 Administrator Curt Spalding was not based on the lack of measurable improvement. Instead, he found that the 2002 plan was inadequate when it was written and — despite EPA approval that year — failed to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.

According to the Free Press, the EPA will now rewrite the plan, adopting some provisions of the plan created by Vermont.

Tags: champlain valley, environment