Winooski Basin Clean Water Service Provider

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) selected the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC) to serve as the Clean Water Service Provider (CWSP) for the Winooski basin. As a CWSP, CVRPC plays 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 identify, prioritize and receive funding for non-regulatory projects to help meet the State’s Phosphorous reduction targets under the Lake Champlain Basin pollution control plan (i.e. the total maximum daily load (TMDL)). Examples of projects eligible for funding under this program include green stormwater management practices, conservation initiatives on farms, wetlands restoration or vegetated buffer plantings.

Regional Planning Commissions, municipalities, watershed and land conservation organizations, Natural Resources Conservation Districts and other stakeholders are eligible to receive Formula Grant funding for clean water projects.

Role of the Winooski Clean Water Service Provider

  • Use the State’s pollution reduction formula to determine which watershed projects will have the greatest potential to reduce phosphorus.
  • Work with watershed and land conservation organizations, Regional Planning Commissions, Natural Resources Conservation Districts and municipalities to identify and construct water quality projects to achieve pollution reduction targets.
  • List all watershed projects in the State Watershed Projects Database.
  • Receive funding to construct, operate, and maintain clean water projects.
  • Create and convene a Basin Water Quality Council to advise the CWSP on project identification and prioritization as well as tactical basin planning efforts.

Staff Contact

For more information regarding the Winooski Clean Water Service Provider, contact Brian Voigt, Senior Planner: voigt@cvregion.com or 802.262.1029.

Policies& Procedures

Pre-Qualification for Project Implementors (opportunity closed)

The CVRPC is issuing a Request for Qualifications to identify (pre-qualify) Municipalities & Organizations willing to serve as Clean Water Project Partners to provide Project Management / Implementation services. Qualified Municipalities & Organizations will enter into a Master Agreement with the CVRPC for a three-year period (6 April 2023 – 5 April 2026). A Master Agreement neither contains a Scope of Work nor a guarantee that one will be awarded. The Master Agreement will establish the general terms regarding the potential receipt of a subgrant or subcontract for a discrete Scope of Work from the CVRPC, in its capacity as the Basin 8 CWSP. The Basin 8 CWSP will issue multiple project solicitation rounds during this period to identify and prioritize projects for funding.

Please download the complete Request for Qualifications for guidance & additional information regarding this opportunity. Respondents are required to submit a Statement of Qualification for consideration by the CVRPC. Please submit your qualifications via email to Brian Voigt (voigt@cvregion.com) with the subject line “CWSP Clean Water Partner RFQ Submission”. To simplify the application process a submission template is available. Submissions must be received by 4 PM on 5 April 2023. Early submissions encouraged.

Please direct questions to Brian Voigt (voigt@cvregion.com) with the subject line “CWSP Clean Water Partner RFQ Question”. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. CVRPC will maintain a list of questions and answers at the Basin 8 CWSP website. Questions will be accepted until 4:00 PM 22 March 2023.

Pre-qualification for Engineering & Construction Contractors

Information coming soon!

Funding

Overview – The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission, in its role as the Clean Water Service Provider for the Winooski Basin is accepting applications to fund non-regulatory, phosphorous reduction projects in the Winooski River Basin. Projects must align 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. The Winooski Basin Clean Water Service Provider has approximately $1,000,000 available to fund water quality improvement projects. In this project solicitation round, $750,000 will be made available to fund design- and implementation-phase projects, and $50,000 to fund project identification and development activities.

Projects must align 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. The Winooski Basin Clean Water Service Provider has approximately $1,000,000 available to fund water quality improvement projects. In this project solicitation round, $750,000 will be made available to fund design- and implementation-phase projects, and $50,000 to fund project identification and development activities. A subsequent Call for Proposals will be issued in October 2023, pending the availability of funds. For more information, please contact Brian Voigt (voigt@cvregion.com).

Application materials:

Resources

Project Evaluation

Co-benefits

Winooski Basin Water Quality Council

Responsibilities of the Basin Water Quality Council

  • Participate in the basin planning process
  • Use localized knowledge to establish policy and make decisions for the CWSP (prioritizing and selecting projects for funding)
  • Prioritize projects that will address impairments identified in the Winooski Tactical Basin Plan

Meetings

The Winooski Basin Water Quality Council meets on the third Thursday of the month from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Additional information about Winooski Basin Water Quality Council meetings, including agendas, meeting packets and meeting minutes can be found here.

Council Members

The Winooski Basin Water Quality Council has nine members from the following organizations.

Land Conservation Organization (1 seat)
Member Erin De Vries
 Vermont River Conservancy
Alternate vacant
 Vermont River Conservancy
Natural Resources Conservation District (2 seats)
Member Peter Danforth Lamoille NRCD
Alternate Emily Porter-Goff Lamoille NRCD
Member Russ Barret Winooski NRCD
Alternate vacant Winooski NRCD
Watershed Protection Organization (2 seats)
Member Ira Shadis
 Friends of the Mad River
Alternates Kinny Perot & Brian Shupe Friends of the Mad River
Member Michele Braun Friends of the Winooski River
Alternate Shawn White Friends of the Winooski River
Municipalities (2 seats)
Member Annie Costandi Town of Essex
Alternate Sarah McShane Stowe
Member Nigel Hicks-Tibbles Northfield
Alternate Alice Peal Waitsfield
Regional Planning Commission (2 seats)
Member Darlene Palola Chittenden County RPC
Alternate Garret Mott Chittenden County RPC
Member Alan Quackenbush Central Vermont RPC
Alternate Robert Wernecke Central Vermont RPC

Programs