The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has released a draft plan for an area around several local rivers, and is seeking comments from the public on the plan at three upcoming meetings.
The ANR's draft Tactical Basin Plan addresses the West, Williams, and Saxtons rivers, and the Connecticut River and its adjacent tributaries. This area is known as Basin 11-13 and covers 29 towns in southeastern Vermont.
The Tactical Basin Plan provides an overview of the health of the watersheds and a description of ongoing and future priority steps to restore and protect the quality of its surface waters.
What makes this plan “tactical” is the reliance on comprehensive water quality monitoring and assessment information to develop action plans and tasks that provide opportunities for all stakeholders in the basin to pursue technical and financial support for water quality improvement.
More than 60 objectives are laid out for implementation over the next five years addressing monitoring needs, protection strategies and restoration projects throughout the three watersheds and Salmon, Canoe, Sacketts, East Putney, Chase, Fullam, Mill, and Morse brooks, and along the Connecticut River.
The draft plan can be obtained at www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov or, to receive a printed copy of the draft plan, call 802-885-8958. Three meetings to gather public comment are scheduled:
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Chester Town Office, 556 Elm St.
• Tuesday, Nov. 17, 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Londonderry Town Office 100 Old School St., South Londonderry.
• Monday, Nov. 23, 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the Newfane Town Office, 555 Route 30.
Comments can also be submitted in writing to Marie Levesque Caduto, VT DEC, 100 Mineral St., Ste 303, Springfield, VT 05156 or Marie.Caduto@vermont.gov. The deadline for submitting comments is Nov. 30.