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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2011 19:09:07 GMT -5
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Post by fishing eagle on Aug 28, 2011 9:30:59 GMT -5
Hey why knock it... the LCI is making a contribution to our lake community. Wow, and Ehler didn't have to spend a single penny of his money.
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Post by walleyeguy on Aug 28, 2011 19:42:23 GMT -5
Just wondering Gary if you think that the down spout idea is a good one? Do you think that cleaning up some of the spills in the driveway with kitty litter is a good idea? Seems to me that it wasn t a complete waste of print. If the end result is a cleaner Lake Champlain than I am glad it printed even if it seems like a waste to some.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2011 22:06:48 GMT -5
Just wondering Gary if you think that the down spout idea is a good one? Do you think that cleaning up some of the spills in the driveway with kitty litter is a good idea? Seems to me that it wasn t a complete waste of print. If the end result is a cleaner Lake Champlain than I am glad it printed even if it seems like a waste to some. I'm just not one to buy into symbolism that really acomplishes nothing more than making someone feel good. Take the down spout for example...how many downspouts do you see directed on a driveway or sidewalk? There easy to spot in the winter, there the ones with cars parking on a icefield. And sweeping the driveway? Does that include driveways that pitch into the lawn that we are supposed to sweep the dirt into? Or the driveways that pitch away from the road? Or the majority of driveways that are in areas without storm drains? I would bet that the majority of driveways in the lake basin are dirt anyway. And then theres the pet doo...am I supposed to follow my dog around the yard, or dig up what the cat buries, while the holstein on the other side of the fence drops more in a day than fido drops in a year? I just look at stuff like this and think it's dreamed up by urbanites who think Burlington is the center of the universe, and think their silly ideas like this will make a difference against the countless gallons of sewage pumped into the lake my the overwelmed combined outflow sewage treatment plants, or the big elephant in the room...agriculture. They have been fiddling around with nonsense like this forever while the lake continues to degrade. Taken as a whole, the entire lake basin is just to sparsley populated and undeveloped for this to make any difference...but hey, if it makes them feel good then fine...as long as what comes next is not a federal grant to pay for redirecting downspouts and handing out bags of speedi dry.
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Post by mikep on Aug 29, 2011 21:14:06 GMT -5
Well said Gary.
The greatest danger to the lake and polluter of the lake is probably Agriculture. The state is spending millions to mitigate the effect on the lake of Agriculture but little is said about it nor is agriculture identified as the principle source of the problem with phosphorus and bad water quality.
Who among us knows from the news media, or releases from the state what the analysis of the lake problems really is and who (Farms, Towns, Industry, General Public) is identified as the greatest polluter.
Apparently and surprisingly, only about 5% of phosphorous in Champlain is contributed by wastewater treatment plants and Farms contribute in the range of 60-70%. Julie Moore once the director of the DEC Clean and Clear program and now a director at LCi is knowledgeable about just what it is that harms the lake the most and could shed light on the so called non-point pollution (farms) that are the elephant in the room I believe.
Until the great nutrient load from Agriculture is under control, the rest of the petty, superficial things like picking up dog shits, and planting rain gardens is just a feel good waste of money. Of course , non-profits get grants of your tax money to spread bull shit about this petty stuff that will not help the lake in any significant way. it is not cost effective in any way. When a non-profits gets a grant to tell homeowners how to pick up dog shit, the grant reimbursement includes, the direct labor cost, and the overhead rate for the non profit which will exceed the labor rate by about 50%. I.E., Twenty for labor, Thirty for overhead , and therefore $50 billed to the grant for each hour of hot air.
Things like riparian corridors, wetland protection, construction erosion control are all sort of common knowledge and significant, but where is the overview that tells us (general public) what is the most significant source of pollution, makes it an issue and defines the steps being taken to reduce it to a trickle.
Too many costly studies and too little action and too much political manipulation.
MikeP
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Post by fishinmachine on Aug 30, 2011 22:11:40 GMT -5
absolutely right on,MP
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