Crombie pushes repeal of new law

January 20, 2008

MONTPELIER – It's unusual for a state agency to ask legislators to repeal part of a brand-new law, but the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Gov. James Douglas are doing just that.
They want to repeal a section of Act 43 passed last year that is part of the effort to clean up Lake Champlain. Douglas and the agency say that the $59 million Vermonters could be compelled to spend under the law on sewage plant upgrades across two-thirds of Vermont would be better spent on reducing "non-point" pollution like farm runoff.

A national report on wastewater treatment plants that exceed their pollution limits put out by the Vermont Public Interest Group and its partners says that Vermont has the lowest percentage in New England of wastewater plants exceeding their permits.

That fact has been heralded by the agency heads as a sign that even VPIRG – a frequent critic – acknowledges Vermont plants are the "best in New England."

But Iarrapino and Paul Burns, the head of VPIRG, both worked on the study, and they question Crombie's assertions. Iarrapino said the agency's characterization of the report is "a pretty flagrant distortion." Burns called it "serious mischaracterization" by the agency.

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