EPA claims Vermont is in violation of Clean Water Act from inadequate farm regulation [Video]

The Environmental Protection Agency said Vermont is in violation of the Clean Water Act when it comes to keeping waste from making its way into Lake Champlain. The agency said the problem starts with flaws in the permitting process for large farms, also known as Confined Animal Feeding Operations, and it means more and more phosphorus can make it into the watershed, causing blue-green algae blooms to form.The problem boils down to issues with proper permitting and oversight. Farm waste is unavoidable, but the federal government said the way it’s handled needs to be regulated differently.”It’s a very pivotal moment for safeguarding water quality in the state,” said Elena Mihaly, Vice President of the Conservation Law Foundation’s Vermont sector. On Sept. 6, the EPA published a letter to Agency of Natural Resources’ Secretary Julie Moore about steps the state needs to take to fix the ongoing problem.Mihaly called the letter …