The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) portion of Lake Champlain restoration funding was cut by over a million dollars, from $2,432,000 in 2013 to $1,399,000 for 2014. For over 20 years these annual federal appropriations have supported critical restoration, research, and monitoring programs on the lake. MORE Read...

In late November Vermont released a new “Proposal for a Clean Lake Champlain.” The public comment period for the proposal ended on January 17th. LCC and EPA were among 42 individuals and organizations to weigh in on the state plan.

LCC noted that the state “put forth a robust suite of activities that will go a long way to better managing water resources.” MORE Read...

Drugs are making their way from our medicine cabinets into our waters, and traces of pharmaceuticals have been found in the environment. Drugs may pass through our bodies unchanged or unused pills may be dumped down the toilet. Wastewater treatments systems were not designed to remove pharmaceuticals, and their ultimate environmental fate is unclear. MORE Read...

Amphibians with missing or misshapen limbs have triggered public and scientific attention and concern for over two decades. To help provide a better understanding of the extent of the problem, the USFWS conducted a nationwide-study of frog abnormalities over a ten-year period. MORE Read...

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proposing new regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) at DEC boat launches. The proposed regulatory changes will require boaters to remove all visible plants and animals from boats, trailers and associated equipment and to drain boats before launching at or leaving a DEC boat launch. MORE Read...

February 2nd is World Wetlands Day, a day to raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.

There are countless flooded forests, marshy swales, and peaty bogs throughout the Champlain Basin which help to prevent major floods from occurring downstream and provide important habitat for fish and wildlife. MORE Read...

LCC has been hard at work producing a suite of pamphlets illustrating lessons from Tropical Storm Irene. The pamphlets will soon be available on LCC’s website and we are actively seeking opportunities to present our conclusions to interested audiences. MORE Read...

While the lake bays are covered in ice and water temperatures hover in the 30s, LCC staff are looking ahead to paddling season. We'd love to see your photographs from paddling adventures, visits to trail sites, and other lake outings for use in upcoming publications. We are especially in need of shots of people having fun in and around the water. MORE Read...

Hats off to everyone who helped grow LCC's endowment by contributing to the Legacy Fund campaign! The campaign was initiated by LCC member Cliff Landesman who wanted to do something significant to celebrate his love of the lake and longstanding involvement with LCC. MORE Read...

The area of open water on Lake Champlain has been steadily closing with the frigid winter we have had. Birder Ian Worley reported that the ice front moved northward 18 miles between January 22 and January 24, from near D.A.R. State Park in Addison, Vermont to New York's Split Rock area. MORE Read...

Lake Champlain is breathtakingly beautiful. Spread that beauty around with the purchase of LCC's stunning new photo cards. An eight-card set includes two cards each of four different arresting scenes and costs $10 for members, $14 if you haven't joined yet. (Shipping and handling is extra.) MORE Read...