| Title: | The Lake Champlain Basin Program: Its History and Role |
|---|---|
| Author: | William G. Howland |
| Publication Year: | 2016 |
| Number of Pages in Article: | 27 |
| Journal/Publication: | Vermont Journal of Environmental Law |
| Publication Type: | Education and Outreach |
| Citation: | Howland, W.G. (2016) The Lake Champlain Basin Program: Its History and Role. Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, 17(4), 588-614. |
| Abstract: | The Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”) is a collaborative partnership of state, federal, provincial and municipal leaders, and several non-governmental members, presenting a strong international foundation for cooperation and action to protect and restore the water quality of Lake Champlain. Now in its 25th year of operations, the LCBP reflects the strengths of the convergent mandates of two very dissimilar governmental initiatives: an international Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) between two U.S. states and a Canadian province in 1988 and an Act of the United States Congress in 1990. The role of the LCBP is to regularly bring together jurisdictional partners from Vermont, New York, Quebec, numerous U.S. federal agencies, and others to examine, debate, and coordinate the environmental management of Lake Champlain and its watershed. Several interjurisdictional agreements advancing the stewardship of the Lake Champlain watershed have been facilitated by the LCBP, resulting in a robust culture of cross-boundary collaboration to protect and restore the water quality of the lake. The Lake Champlain Steering Committee annually allocates funds to: long-term goals; basin-wide monitoring of water resources; local plan implementation grants; direct pollution prevention projects; targeted research; educational programs; operational assistance to watershed organizations; and heritage and recreational programs that connect people to the lake. |