Development of a Phosphorus Control Plan for the Lake Champlain Basin
Vermont Agencies of Natural Resources (ANR) and Transportation (VTrans) have been working together for several years to develop and implement permitting programs, plans, policies, and designs to comply with the Lake Champlain Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), including ANR’s Phase 1 TMDL Implementation Plan. A key component of the plan was the issuance of the General Permit 3-9007 for Stormwater Discharges from the State Transportation Separate Storm Sewer System (TS4) to VTrans. Among other requirements, the TS4 permit requires VTrans to develop and implement Phosphorus Control Plans (PCPs) for each Lake segment within the Vermont portion of the Lake Champlain Basin. The PCPs, developed in phases, will identify and document a suite of best management practices that should collectively achieve the required reductions in phosphorus loading from VTrans stormwater discharges.
Since 2016, Stone has worked in collaboration with VTrans and ANR to develop supporting datasets and an implementation framework for the VTrans PCPs. Compliance milestones achieved by VTrans and ANR to-date include the implementation of the TS4 General Permit in 2017.