New Lake Clean-up Plan Available Online
Keep abreast of actions to restore and protect lake health by checking out the online version of the Lake Champlain clean-up plan.
A new version of Opportunities for Action has been released. Opportunities for Action is the management plan that guides how federal and state resources are spent to protect and restore Lake Champlain. Regular revisions to Opportunities for Action are required under the Lake Champlain Special Designation Act that provides much of the funding for work on the lake. The newest version, released in December 2010, represents the third edition of the plan.
The 2010 edition signifies a significant break from past versions. This edition outlines measurable tasks that specific government entities will take over the next five years to improve Lake Champlain. LCC has worked hard to shape and influence the current edition of Opportunities for Action and we are excited by the accountability inherent in the newest version. All tasks are listed in an on-line database accessible by anyone with an internet connection and we expect regular updates as tasks are completed.
Opportunities for Action still has its limitations. Though all signatories to the document have agreed to specific tasks, there is no method for enforcing their commitments. The Lake Champlain Basin Program, the entity that developed the document, lacks any enforcement authority. Thus, it will be up to citizens’ groups like LCC to ensure state agencies and other partners live up to their promises.
