Casella is still investigating what happened, but the company filed a report with state regulators that says the spill happened because the foam fractionation system malfunctioned.

Casella says the system is rigged with an alarm and two “flood switches” that should have disabled the machine when it started to leak.

“All the measures failed to alarm and engage, despite weekly observation and maintenance to ensure proper functioning,” Casella wrote in its report.

Totaling $105,000 Awarded to the Memphremagog Watershed Association

The Memphremagog Watershed Association (MWA) was recently awarded nearly $105,000 in grant funding from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) in their role as the Memphremagog Clean Water Service Provider (CWSP). MWA requested these funds from the Water Quality Restoration Formula Grant program and will use the monies to design and/or implement four water quality and fish habitat restoration projects in the towns of Derby, Newport, Holland and Morgan.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environment Conservation (DEC) has released the Vermont Clean Water Initiative 2023 Performance Report. It highlights water quality progress achieved through public investment. By investing $420 million in clean water over the past eight years, the State has cut pollution going into Vermont’s waters.

The new report shows how State funding and regulatory programs have helped:

What is this program? The Permit Obtainment Assistance (POA) program is a beneficiary program that provides financial assistance to eligible 3-acre sites seeking to obtain Three-Acre Permit coverage. 

The torrent of water that ripped through Vermont in July left some towns in ruins and others unscathed. The disparity was due, in part, to differences in the amount of water that fell within the towns’ watersheds. But some municipalities took on large quantities of water and still escaped significant damage. Often that was because those with more resources, such as full-time staff, have woven together the complex web of funding and logistics that’s required for most flood resilience projects. 

This week’s storm was much milder than this summer’s deluge, with no reported injuries or deaths. Still, it caused widespread flooding, prompted 12 swiftwater rescues, closed 120 schools and flooded many basements.

The Memphremagog Watershed Association recently completed a stormwater improvement project on Farrant and Lake Streets in Newport City. The improvements now collect and treat stormwater runoff from nearly 125 acres uphill of Prouty Bay and the Newport Marina. The project will prevent 1,000 pounds of sediment and 19.8 pounds of phosphorus from entering Lake Memphremagog each year.