Posted October 8, 2015 at 07:07am by Faith Raymond

Agriculture Secretary Announces New Date For Public Hearing on Proposed Revised Decision Regarding Best Management Practices for Farms in the Missisquoi Bay Basin

On October 7, 2015, Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture, Chuck Ross, in consultation with the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), reissued a Notice of Public Hearing to provide the public additional and sufficient opportunity to comment on the proposed Revised Secretary’s Decision for the CLF’s petition to require mandatory agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Missisquoi Bay Basin. The new date for the public hearing is November 12, 2015

The proposed Revised Secretary’s Decision, which is subject to public input, is one element of the framework negotiated between the Agency and CLF to settle the pending court litigation related to the Missisquoi Basin.

It had come to the Secretary’s attention that the proposed timing of the originally scheduled public hearing placed a burden on farmers during a busy time of the harvest season. To allow for as much public input from farmers as possible, the decision was made to reissue the Notice of Public Hearing for November 12. Rescheduling the hearing allows more notice to farmers and affected citizens and greater opportunity for comment and input.

The rescheduled public hearing will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2015, in St. Albans City, from 1 PM until 3 PM, at the American Legion, 100 Parah Drive. Written comment will also be accepted until 4:30 PM November 23, 2015.

The full Notice of Public Hearing, the proposed Revised Secretary’s Decision, and the draft Stipulation of the Parties for Remand, which contain background and additional explanatory information, can be accessed here: agriculture.vermont.gov/water-quality/news-events/clf-petition with additional information available below.

Questions about the public hearing process and any written comments may be directed to:

James Leland

116 State Street

Montpelier, VT 05620

(802)-828-3478

…or e-mailed to: AGR.MissisquoiBMP@vermont.gov

For more information about the Agency’s water quality initiatives, please visit agriculture.vermont.gov/water-quality