News Release: LCBP Seeks Pre-Proposals for Technical Projects That Support Lake Champlain Management Plan

The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), in conjunction with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) is pleased to announce a Request for Technical Pre-Proposals for services to further the goals and objectives of the Lake Champlain management plan, Opportunities for Action. The total request for each project may range from $20,000 to $300,000 for projects anticipated to begin in early 2020.

Projects that address any strategies in Opportunities for Action are welcome, and the LCBP is particularly interested in funding projects that focus on the following:

1. Research or innovative demonstration projects that reduce pollution to Lake Champlain, especially nutrients, de-icing agents, and other contaminants of concern.
2. Research or implementation projects that use LCBP-funded or other publicly available datasets to create outputs leading to improved water quality in the Lake Champlain Basin.
3. Projects that fill knowledge gaps or improve diversity of native aquatic and riparian species in the Lake Champlain Basin.
4. Projects that quantify benefits of existing best management practices, or optimize existing practices for pollution reduction, especially to reduce soluble reactive phosphorus loading and for management in light of climate change effects.
5. Projects that research and support sustainable agricultural practices that address water quality concerns and are economically sustainable.

“We are eager to see a wide range of innovative and effective projects that will address the complex challenges facing the Lake Champlain Basin,” said Matthew Vaughan, LCBP Technical Coordinator. “This is where the rubber meets the road to protect and restore Lake Champlain.”

Applicants will submit one or more two-page conceptual pre-proposal(s) in response to this request. After an independent evaluation, a subset of pre-proposal applicants will be invited to submit an eight-page full proposal this winter. Grant award recipients will be selected from the pool of full proposals, and will be notified of their anticipated award in late spring 2019. Pre-Proposals are due to the LCBP by electronic submission on November 14, 2019.

For more information, contact Matthew Vaughan, LCBP Technical Coordinator, at (802) 372-3213.

It is anticipated that these projects will be supported with funds awarded to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in support of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Opportunities for Action is available on the LCBP website at plan.lcbp.org. Further information about the Request for Technical Pre-Proposals is available at www.lcbp.org/grants.