Clean Water Service Provider
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The CCRPC, in its role as the Clean Water Service Provider for the Northern Lake Champlain Direct Drainages Basin, is accepting applications for funding for projects that improve water quality. Applications are due July 10th, 2023. | Learn more below »
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) has been selected by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to serve as the Clean Water Service Provider (CWSP) for the Northern Lake Champlain Basin.
As a CWSP, CCRPC will play a pivotal role in the implementation of Vermont’s Clean Water Service Delivery Act (also known as Act 76). Act 76 provides funding to CWSPs for “boots on the ground” project delivery for non-regulatory clean water projects. These projects could include small scale stormwater management practices and natural resource restoration projects (floodplain reconnections, wetlands restoration, vegetated buffer planting).
SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION ON:
WHAT IS A CLEAN WATER SERVICE PROVIDER (CWSP)? »
ACT 176 »
THE NORTHERN LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN (BASIN 5) »
BASIN WATER QUALITY COUNCIL »
FUNDING »
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS »
POTENTIAL PROJECTS »
CURRENT PROJECTS »
CWSP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES »
CONTACT »
WHAT IS A CLEAN WATER SERVICE PROVIDER (CWSP)?
The Clean Water Service Delivery Act of 2019 (Act 76) establishes a water quality project delivery framework to support Vermont’s clean water goals. Act 76 establishes new regional organizations called Clean Water Service Providers (CWSPs). With policy and priority support setting from their related Basin Water Quality Councils (BWQCs), CWSPs will administer formula-based State grants for the purpose of identifying, constructing, and maintaining non-regulatory water quality projects necessary to achieve the Lake Champlain and Lake Memphremagog phosphorus TMDLs and other pollutant reduction targets both inside and beyond these specific basins.
ACT 76
In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a pollution control plan – also referred to as a total maximum daily load (TMDL) – for Lake Champlain to address water quality concerns. The plan required Vermont to complete 28 milestones. Meeting these milestones would demonstrate Vermont’s ability to restore polluted water.
With the passage of Act 76, the Clean Water Service Delivery Act, Vermont is on track to meet every milestone by mid-2019. Act 76 will be the funding and project delivery framework to ensure essential water quality projects achieve Vermont’s clean water goals. By committing nearly $15 million in general fund revenue in the coming fiscal year to support clean water projects, and more than $20 million annually for the foreseeable future, which in turn will leverage other funding sources resulting in an estimated annual clean water investment of more than $50 million, Act 76 satisfies one of the most significant outstanding milestones: to secure sustainable, long-term funding needed to support this important work.
THE NORTHERN LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN (BASIN 5)
View a map of the Northern Lake Champlain Basin (click image to enlarge):
BASIN WATER QUALITY COUNCIL
Clean Water Service Providers (CWSPs) must convene a BWQC in each basin. The Basin 5 BWQC will establish policy and guide decisions on project prioritization and selection of clean water projects for funding. The CWSP will oversee identification, implementation, and operation of those projects to achieve pollution reduction targets for non-regulatory projects for the Northern Lake Champlain Direct Drainage Basin. BWQC members are appointed from among persons knowledgeable on clean water topics. For more information, including a meeting schedule, agendas and minutes, visit the Basin 5 Water Quality Council webpage »
FUNDING
3rd Call FOR APPLICATIONS – Applications due July 10, 2023
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), in its role as the Clean Water Service (CWSP) Provider for the Northern Lake Champlain Direct Drainages Basin (Basin 5) is accepting applications for funding for projects in Basin 5 that improve water quality. Projects must be in keeping with the vision set forth by Act 76, the Clean Water Service Delivery Act, and policies and guidance set forth by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to implement the Act. Projects must not be required by a permit (10 VSA, Chapter 47), or subject to the requirements of Vermont Agricultural Water Quality statutes (6 V.S.A, Chapter 215). Funding may be available for the portion of projects that exceed requirements set forth in the statutes above. Project eligibility shall be controlled by the Clean Water Initiative Program (CWIP) FY23 funding policy issued December 2022. The CWSP currently has approximately $450,000 available to fund eligible projects.
APPLICATION MATERIALS & INSTRUCTIONS
- Download the 3rd Call for Applications »
- Download the Pre-Application Form » (if needed)
- Download the Subgrantee RFQ » (if needed)
- Download the Subgrant Application Form »
- View the Master Agreement Template »
PROJECT SCORING
- View how projects were scored at the February 23rd meeting »
- View the staff memo from the February 23rd meeting »
- View approved minutes from the February 23rd meeting »
- View the Project Scoring Rubric for Phosphorus Reduction Benefits, Co-Benefits and Other Considerations »
- View details on how Co-Benefits are scored »
Submit the Application Form as one PDF and combine the other required documents into a 2nd PDF and submit the application and all required documents as two separate PDFs to Dan Albrecht, Basin 5 CWSP Manager via email to dalbrecht@ccrpcvt.org no later than 4 p.m, EDT, July 10, 2023 with the email header of BASIN 5 CWSP GRANT PROPOSAL.
ONGOING CALL for Pre-QUALIFICATION OF PROJECT MANAGERS/IMPLEMENTORS OF WATER QUALITY PROJECTS
On an ongoing basis, the Northern Lake Champlain (Basin5) CWSP seeks to prequalify and provide funds to Municipalities and Organizations to serve as Subgrantees to provide Project Management / Implementation services for an initial three-year period from May 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025. Upon approval by the Basin 5 Water Quality Council of a qualified water quality project submitted by a prequalified Subgrantee, the CCRPC as Basin 5 CWSP may subgrant funds, subject to the concurrence of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), for the performance of one or more phases of a water quality project. Note that pre-qualification is required prior to award of a grant proposal so even if you don’t have an application ready to submit at this time, it might behoove you to seek pre-qualification to get that step out of the way. Responses are reviewed on a rolling basis. | View the RFQ » | Download the Response Template »
POTENTIAL PROJECTS
List of potential projects and descriptions.
CURRENT PROJECTS
List of current projects and descriptions.
CWSP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
List of policies and procedures.
CONTACT
For more information, contact Dan Albrecht, CCRPC Senior Planner: dalbrecht@ccrpcvt.org or (802) 861-0133.