Conservation Matters
Clean water is a fundamental human right, and we at CLF are dedicated to defending it.

Clean water is a fundamental human right, and we at CLF are dedicated to defending it.
Vermont can do more to protect residents and communities from the devastating impacts of flooding.
As CLF’s Lake Champlain Lakekeeper, Julie Silverman is helping to weave together a complex fabric of people and places working to protect and restore Lake Champlain and the network of rivers and streams that flow into it. What drew you to Lake Champlain? I grew up close to the lake, spending summers swimming, sailing, waterskiing,… Continue reading 5 Questions with Julie Silverman, CLF’s Lake Champlain Lakekeeper
The documentary “No Other Lake,” is now screening at various locations across Vermont and New York. We talked with filmmaker Jordan Rowell about what motivated him to embark on this journey and how it changed his view of his hometown lake.
Over the last several years, Vermont’s farmers have made tremendous progress in cutting dangerous phosphorus pollution from their properties. But a longstanding turf war between two state agencies is putting that progress at risk.
“As Vermont works towards a rebound of tourism, clean water is a vital part of a healthy economy,” said Zack Porter, Lake Champlain Lakekeeper at CLF. “Future generations of Vermonters are counting on us to get this work done now, and officials have dragged their feet long enough. It’s time to get to work making sure this critical rule is properly implemented.”
It will take a suite of strategies to rebound from the COVID-19 crisis, but one that should not be overlooked is the Lake Champlain clean-up effort. The federally mandated work to clean up our iconic waterbody can help fuel Vermont’s recovery from the pandemic – creating a win-win for our environment and economy, both in the short-term and in the future.
Even as we mourn the lives lost to COVID-19 and absorb the heavy toll it has taken on our economy, we must recognize that the old “normal” left too many communities unhealthy and especially vulnerable to the pandemic. Replicating that old “normal” will squander an opportunity to reduce climate danger while building healthier and more just communities for all.
With the Vermont General Assembly reconvening, CLF is working with lawmakers to advance solutions that protect our natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy on behalf of all Vermonters. This session, we’re focusing on cutting carbon, limiting plastic pollution, protecting the state from toxic “forever chemicals,” defending water quality, and more.
“An increase in rain and snow is not an emergency,” said Jen Duggan Vice President and Director of CLF Vermont. “Vermont is a wet state and it is getting wetter as a result of climate change. The State should be focused on real solutions instead of relying on blanket waivers that are inconsistent with clean water laws and result in polluted waterways.”