The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) has been engaged in advocating for the health of the Connecticut River and the communities in the watershed since 1952. As part of our mission, CRC has been a consistent participant in the relicensing of the Wilder, Bellows Falls, Vernon, and Turners Falls hydroelectric dams, and the Northfield Mountain Pump Storage facility for almost twelve years, working for a better deal for our river and its communities. These facilities use a public trust resource – your river – to produce power. In exchange for this privilege and to mitigate for impacts of the dams on recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, migratory and endangered species, water quality, and other resources, FERC (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) requires that hydropower operators provide direct benefits to the public and be protective of the ecological health of the river. These requirements are laid forth in an operating license and the license serves as a public contract that we revisit periodically to examine the facility’s impact on our public trust resource. That time is NOW! On February 22nd, FERC issued a notice indicating that the final license applications have been accepted as complete and ready for environmental analysis. This notice simultaneously initiated a 60-day period to submit comments and interventions for the projects. The comment period will close on April 22nd, 2024. A comment communicates to FERC local concerns, recommendations, and desires. This provides additional information that FERC must consider as they are making decisions for what will be included in the license conditions for the next 40 years. The public is encouraged to submit a comment to FERC if you have concerns about how these dams impact the river, the surrounding communities, or your ability to interact with the river. Public comments can be submitted by anyone or any entity that has an interest.  This includes individual community members, Town committees or commissions, Regional Planning Commission, recreation clubs, etc. CRC staff have been meeting with local town committees to update them on the relicensing and encourage commenting. In addition to supporting the public’s opportunity to comment, and submitting our own comments, Connecticut River Conservancy will be filing a motion to intervene. This allows the intervenor to become a legal party to the proceedings, which grants the ability to request hearings of FERC orders and appeal agency actions. Kathy Urffer, CRC’s River Steward in Vermont, who has been working on this relicensing for almost seven years says, “These three facilities control the water in approximately 126 miles of river in VT and NH, and the license term is expected to be 40 years long. This relicensing is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity to shape how the hydroelectric facilities mitigate for their impact on the river for future generations.  Don’t miss this opportunity to have your concerns heard by the FERC.” Hydropower relicensing information, as well as a FERC Comment Guide, can be found here. The Connecticut River Conservancy will also hold a series of virtual office hours about how to comment on the hydropower relicensing process for the five facilities in VT, NH, and MA that are all simultaneously going through this Federal process. During these office hours, CRC’s Director of Policy and Advocacy/Vermont River Steward (Kathy Urffer), and River Stewards in Massachusetts (Nina Gordon-Kirsch) and New Hampshire (Kate Buckman) will be available to answer any questions and help with your comments. The following will be covered: Issues at stake for fish passage, recreation, erosion, and accountability Instruction on how to submit comments or get involved Questions addressed in Q&A The office hours can be customized based on who attends and what you most want to address. You can also submit a question to the speakers upon registration. The office hours will occur on: Tuesday 3/5 – 1pm Thursday 3/14 – 5:30pm Monday 3/18 – 11am Wednesday 3/27 – 8:30am Wednesday 4/3 – 7pm Thursday 4/11 – 12pm Tuesday 4/16 – 12pm Click here to register for the office hours or contact Kathy, Kate, and Nina with any additional questions you may have. The 60-day period to submit interventions and comments is OPEN NOW through April 22nd. This will be the last opportunity to comment to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for these facilities and influence a license that will last for 40 years. Contact: Kathy Urffer – Director of Policy and Advocacy/River Steward, VT kurffer@ctriver.org 802-258-0413 Kate Buckman – River Steward, NH kbuckman@ctriver.org 603-931-2448 Nina Gordon-Kirsch – River Steward, MA Ngordonkirsch@ctriver.org 413-834-9777

Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District and project partners are currently surveying farmers throughout the Connecticut River Watershed in New Hampshire and Vermont to learn more about how they manage to prevent Nitrogen loss on their farms and what new management practices they would be willing to implement. Surveys are 100% confidential and will not be used for reporting or regulatory purposes. Help us secure more funding and technical assistance for the most effective practices and earn a $50 gift card for your time – take the survey HERE. For more information about this project, please visit: Watershed Planning Project This program was made possible by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund.

Filamentous algae and duckweed at Great Pond in Hatfield, MA. Connecticut River Conservancy began a cyanobacteria monitoring program in the summer of 2022, and has continued this work throughout the 2023 field season. While cyanobacteria do not yet pose a serious threat to the Connecticut River watershed, there have been cases of cyanobacteria blooms which have the potential to become a bigger challenge in the future as climate extremes increase and agricultural nutrients affect water quality. Our 2023 Cyanobacteria Monitoring Report is now available to provide the data gathered so far from 8 lakes and ponds tested in Massachusetts. In short, 2 of the 8 waterbodies were found to have active cyanobacteria blooms in 2023. What is Cyanobacteria? Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic bacteria that grow in water with high amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Some cyanobacteria produce harmful toxins. Under the right conditions, toxic cyanobacteria can multiply quickly to form dense populations known as Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs). HABs are toxic to animals (including fish, birds, livestock, humans, and dogs) and are disruptive to healthy ecosystems, which is why we are beginning to apply more resources to monitoring cyanobacteria over time. Next Steps and Collaboration Looking forward, our monitoring efforts will continue in 2024, hopefully with more capacity added to increase the frequency of tests and communications to affected communities. This project would not be possible without the partnerships of several organizations and individuals. In particular, we want to thank retired neurologist Dr. Allison Ryan, and Deputy Refuge Manager Dean Rhine. Dr. Ryan has spearheaded the monitoring and mitigation efforts for cyanobacteria by taking action in gathering a group of concerned stakeholders after witnessing the challenges HABs cause for recreational users and the environment, and the lack of resources offered by local governments. Dean Rhine with the Refuge has provided this effort with invaluable support and assets. Thanks to Dr. Ryan and Mr. Rhine, we head into the third year of this mitigation and monitoring program! See the full 2023 Cyanobacteria Monitoring report HERE. For more questions about monitoring and sample locations, please contact Aliki Fornier at afornier@ctriver.org.

Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in OPPOSITION to SB 300 An Act Concerning Natural Gas Capacity and the Renewable Portfolio Standard March 6, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Needleman and Rep. Steinberg, and distinguished Members of the Energy & Technology Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy; we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. We are strongly opposed to SB 300, especially as it erodes environmental guardrails for hydropower. Hydropower can have substantial impacts on river health by blocking fish passage, dewatering areas where fish and other wildlife raise their young, and eroding habitat along riverbanks causing water levels to fluctuate up and down unnaturally. Our organization routinely advocates for the river in proceedings with hydroelectric facilities in other states in the watershed to push for strong environmental protection. Upstream we deal with facilities that impact access to recreation, dewater rivers, decimate fish and other aquatic species, and erode streambanks all while profiting off of a public trust. While hydropower is less carbon intensive than “non-renewable” sources of energy, it still has measurable and long-lasting negative impacts on rivers and their associated ecosystems. Therefore, the environmental attributes required for hydropower to be included in any Class of the Renewable Portfolio Standards is essential and necessary. We understand the need to make energy more affordable. But we must not do so by removing ecological standards and giving preference to hydropower generation projects that are not environmentally sound. We appreciate that Connecticut currently has basic environmental protection for our waterways in our statutes – we should not remove those and move backwards. We urge you to not pass this bill. Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in SUPPORT of SB 292 An Act Concerning the Use of PFAS in Certain Products March 8, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Lopes and Rep. Gresko, and distinguished Members of the Environment Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC); we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. I am writing to support SB 292, as it will help address the problem of PFAS contamination in our state, safeguard our ecosystems, and protect public health. The manufacturers of PFAS have known for decades that these “forever chemicals” are harmful to human health and that they persist in our environment. Despite this, PFAS are being increasingly used in consumer products, often without the consumer’s knowledge. PFAS are found everywhere scientists have gone looking for them – groundwater, surface water, fish, animals, humans, etc. We need strong regulations to limit the use of PFAS and prevent them from entering our environment. In conclusion, I urge you to support SB 292 and take decisive action to regulate the use of PFAS in consumer products. By enacting stringent regulations and investing in monitoring and remediation efforts, we can protect our rivers, ecosystems, and communities from the harmful effects of PFAS contamination. Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in SUPPORT of HB 5004 An Act Concerning the Implementation of Certain Climate Change Measures March 8, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Lopes and Rep. Gresko, and distinguished Members of the Environment Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC); we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. I am writing in strong support of HB 5004 as it is a crucial step in the right direction towards addressing and mitigating climate change in our state. I particularly want to highlight and celebrate Section 22, which focuses on nature-based solutions. Riparian buffers play a vital role in maintaining the health and resilience of river ecosystems. These areas serve as critical wildlife habitats and provide numerous ecosystem services such as filtering polluted runoff, erosion control, and flood mitigation. However, riparian areas across our state are facing increasing pressures from development, pollution, and climate change, threatening their integrity and functionality. The proposed nature-based solutions program outlined in the bill offers a comprehensive approach to addressing these challenges and safeguarding our riparian areas and river ecosystems. By prioritizing the acquisition of land and conservation easements in riparian areas adjacent to cold water streams, the bill recognizes the importance of protecting these sensitive habitats and the species they support. Additionally, the bill proposes a collaborative approach. Connecticut will work with other northeast states and federal agencies to develop a coordinated regional adaptation and conservation approach, which will lead to effective and strong strategies for protecting river ecosystems and human communities on a broader scale. I urge you to support HB 5004 for a more resilient Connecticut. We need to work with nature not against it, if we want to adapt in a changing climate, and nature-based solutions will help us do that. Thank you for your consideration. I may be reached at rdrozdenko@ctriver.org or 860-929-8021. Rhea Drozdenko (she/her/hers) River Steward

Photo Credit: Ayla Skorupa USGS The shifting of the seasons triggers remarkable changes in our local habitats. We can see changes happening on the land around us, from trees dropping their leaves, to birds migrating south, to various animals settling in for their long winter hibernation. Us humans are also often settling in to a new routine, focused on staying warm and maybe looking forward to spring (though we’ve got a long ways to go…). As the river cools down our underwater neighbors are similarly adjusting their routines; in ways that are still rather mysterious and hidden from our eyes. In acknowledgement of our hidden river heroes, this blog post is all about… mussels! Freshwater mussels are pretty remarkable little creatures; they may look a bit like rocks, but they certainly don’t behave like them. This time of year they are on the move… downwards. When the water cools off freshwater mussels move slightly deeper and wiggle their way into the sediment with their foot, burying themselves (hopefully) in an area that won’t freeze solid over the winter. Mature females are full of fertilized eggs if spawning was successful during the summer and fall. Have you ever wondered how mussels reproduce? Come spring, the gravid females release larval mussels, called glochidia, which begin their own epic migration to find suitable habitat by hitching a ride in the gills of fish. Woah! There are 12 species of freshwater mussels in the Connecticut River watershed and multiple species are threatened or endangered. New Hampshire is host to the three largest remaining known populations of dwarf wedge mussel, a federally endangered species. Each of the 12 species is dependent upon host fish to complete their life cycle. Some, like the eastern pearlshell are very particular as to which fish they attach to (brook trout and other salmonids in this case) while others will utilize many different species (the eastern elliptio for example will seemingly just glom on to whoever is closest). Glochidia ride along on their host fish for a couple of weeks to months before dropping off and burrowing into the sediment where they will stay within a short distance of where they landed while growing, becoming sexually mature in five to six years, and living out the rest of their surprisingly long lives on the bottom of the rivers and streams. Why should we care? For one, those little bivalves help keep our rivers clean. They filter water… a lot of it… and while they feed on the algae and detritus they filter out of the water, these actions can help to reduce turbidity and convert small particles unavailable to many consumers into larger particles (mussel poop) that other organisms will consume. Not only is it critical to maintain suitable habitat for adult mussels, but freshwater mussels will not survive without healthy water, food, and habitat for the host fish species. The mussels themselves are an important part of the food chain, providing a tasty snack for many predators. Mussel beds can increase biodiversity of benthic invertebrates by providing hard surfaces and habitat structure through empty shells as well as mixing the sediment with their movements, thereby facilitating the exchange of oxygen and nutrients between the benthos and the water column. So we say, “Go on Connecticut River, flex your mussels!”

We are happy to report that Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) and project partners have completed 29 river restoration projects throughout the four-state watershed (NH, VT, MA, & CT) in 2023. While many occurred in the upper watershed this year, annual priorities fluctuate based on variables such as grant funding, project readiness, partner or stakeholder agreement, and restoration needs. River restoration projects play a vital role in the ongoing stewardship of the Connecticut River and tributaries. New events such as severe flooding, coupled with historic challenges such as old dams, fragmented habitats, and erosion lead to a range of environmental strategies implemented by Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) and partners to continue fostering cleaner, healthier, more resilient rivers. In addition to CRC’s other work related to advocacy, water quality monitoring, community science and much more, these projects provide an opportunity to make a tangible difference for expanded migratory fish habitat and safer river communities. Completed Restoration Projects: 1 dam removal and culvert replacement/bridge installation project in Wilmington (VT) 3 floodplain restoration projects in Bath (NH), Canaan (VT), and Plymouth (VT) 10 strategic wood addition projects with Redstart Forestry Inc. in Corinth (VT) 15 riparian buffer tree planting projects in CT, MA, VT and NH “Restoration projects on the Connecticut River and its tributaries require lots of funding, collaboration, and vision, to say nothing of good old-fashioned hard work” said Rebecca Todd, Executive Director at CRC. “We want to make a lasting impact through clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities. Thank you to our incredible partners and supporters for leaving a positive living legacy in our watershed!” Dam Removal Connecticut River Conservancy worked with the Town of Wilmington, the State of Vermont, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and a private dam owner to remove an old mill dam and upgrade a town-owned culvert to a new bridge. This project will restore water quality, reconnect native Brook trout habitat, and improve flood resiliency in Beaver Brook (a tributary to the Deerfield River in the town of Wilmington). Ecological and community benefits include the following: Increased water flow, water quality, and oxygen levels for aquatic organism health. Increased aquatic organism passage (AOP), including native Brook trout which require access to cold water habitats for spawning. Lowering the flood elevation level by 7 feet to help minimize future flooding and road closures. Eliminate the disruption of emergency services during future storm events. Floodplain Restoration Restoring floodplains includes removing artificial berms and converting former farm fields back into floodplain forests. These restoration activities increase flood storage capacity during storm events, reduce potential damage to infrastructure, help limit sedimentation of aquatic habitat, and improve natural river functions. This year CRC led or supported these projects in Bath (NH), Canaan (VT), and Plymouth (VT). Strategic Wood Addition Strategic wood addition projects use felled trees to add roughness in small headwater streams by securing them in place at defined intervals. These projects offer benefits in the following ways: Help reduce Nitrogen inputs into the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound for improved water quality Increase habitat for native brook trout Increase aquatic biomass Lower stream temperatures Help slow runoff from headwater streams, which can reduce flooding downstream Previous projects have resulted in a three-fold increase in trout populations in these small headwater streams. CRC’s projects in 2023 were in Corinth, VT, on small Waits River tributaries. Riparian Buffer Plantings Buffer planting involves planting native trees and shrubs to create a vegetation zone between developed land and waterways, thereby helping to control erosion and slow the flow of water during flood events. CRC’s riparian buffer planting projects in 2023 resulted in nearly 10,500 native trees and shrubs being planted, restoring roughly 26 acres of riparian land along the Connecticut River and several tributary streams. River Restoration Partnerships CRC’s work would not be possible without the help of many federal, state and local agencies, local businesses and landowners, and other non-profit organizations who help make these projects a success. In 2023, these partners include the Grow Food Northampton, Hartland (VT) Conservation Commission, Intervale Conservation Nursery, Keney Park, New England Wetland Plants, Northwoods Stewardship Center, Passumpsic Valley Land Trust, Redstart Forestry Inc., River Park Estates, Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge, Town of Hartland (VT), Town of Wilmington (VT), Trout Unlimited, Two River Ottauquechee Regional Planning Commission, and private landowners and contractors. In addition, our funders include our generous CRC donors, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, One Tree Planted, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and Watersheds United Vermont.

Photo credit: Stone Pond Dam in November 2022, taken by Paula Sagerman Connecticut River Conservancy is happy to announce the receipt of a grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to remove an old, unused dam and restore the stream channel and surrounding floodplain in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Stone Pond Dam Removal The project, which is currently in the engineering design phase, will excavate 82,000 lbs. of nitrogen and 5,700 lbs. of phosphorus in sediments behind the dam immediately and then prevent 908 lbs. of nitrogen and 26 lbs. of phosphorus annually, reducing pollution from flowing downstream in the Connecticut River to Long Island Sound. The long-term impact will benefit community flood resilience at the site prone to flooding. The restoration planting of trees and shrubs following dam removal will further stabilize the banks and provide shade to keep the stream cool for migratory fish such as American eel, freshwater white suckers, and other organisms. CRC is working with the private dam owner, Town of Fitzwilliam, State and federal agency partners, and Dubois & King Inc. to finalize design and permitting in 2024.  Removal and restoration activities are estimated to begin in 2025. NFWF Grant Objectives for Long Island Sound This grant is part of $12 million in grants awarded to improve the environment of Long Island Sound. Federal and state environmental agencies and officials from New England and New York, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), recently announced 39 grants totaling $12 million to organizations and local governments to improve the health of Long Island Sound. The grants are matched by $8 million from the grantees themselves, resulting in $20 million in total conservation impact for projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. In all, these Long Island Sound Futures Fund (Futures Fund) 2023 grants will support projects that improve water quality by preventing 2.7 million gallons of stormwater and 101,000 pounds of nitrogen pollution from flowing into Long Island Sound waters. The projects will also remove 120 tons of marine debris from the sound and support planning for restoration of 880 acres of coastal habitat and 102 miles of river corridor vital to fish and wildlife. And, the projects will reach 30,000 people through environmental education programs that increase awareness of how to improve the health and vitality of the Sound. Funding for the grant program comes from the EPA as part of the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), with additional support from FWS, NFWF and The Zoetis Foundation. A full list of grantees can be found here. Thank you very much to the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation for supporting Connecticut River Conservancy with the funds to move this restoration project forward!

Vermont experienced catastrophic flooding in July 2023. Given that these floods are expected to become more frequent and severe with climate change, effective response and recovery measures are becoming increasingly important. Sediment deposition was an overlooked impact of the floods, despite the fact that many areas in Vermont were left covered in feet of mud after flood waters receded. Between September and December of 2023, our NH and VT River Stewards were pleased to work with a student consulting team (Robin Andresen, Sam Messina, Ella Roelofs, and Captain Rudolph) from Middlebury College’s Community Engaged Practicum class to investigate how sediments were handled in developed areas during July 2023’s flood response, identify gaps in this response, and made recommendations for improvement in response to future flooding events in Vermont. You can read their final report and recommendations here.

For Connecticut River Conservancy’s first LiveStream of the season we welcomed Alfred (Fred) Venne, Museum Educator at the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College, for a riveting journey back and forth through time to explore the geological history of the Connecticut River valley. Fred shared major events that shaped the valley & watershed, present-day river and land environments and conditions, and working with mother nature. CRC’s Vermont River Steward, Kathy Urffer, added perspective on building climate resilience through restoration projects, such as dam removals, tree plantings to restore riparian buffers, and overall protection of the river. Check out the full recording here: About LiveStream: CRC brings your rivers to you! Join CRC staff and partners for a series of live lunchtime presentations, on select Wednesdays from Noon-1pm. You get to learn more about the rivers you love, ask questions, and interact with a river-loving community all from the comfort and safety of your home (or wherever you may be). LiveStream will be hosted via Zoom. Please register for each presentation to receive meeting information. Check out CRC’s Events Calendar to learn about other upcoming events.

Connecticut River Conservancy’s end-of-year virtual livestream recording includes an introduction from CRC’s new Executive Director, Rebecca Todd, followed by a 2023 river accomplishments summary from staff. All key areas of work were covered including migratory fish, aquatic invasive species, restoration, dam removal, advocacy, recreation, water quality monitoring, and more. Thank you to those who joined us live, and those who are viewing on their own time! Sign up for our newsletter to receive future Connecticut River updates or volunteer opportunities in your inbox.

Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in SUPPORT OF HB 5218 An Act Concerning the Establishment of Riparian Buffers and Revision of Certain Inland Wetlands Provisions February 26, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Lopes and Rep. Gresko, and distinguished Members of the Environment Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC); we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. I am writing in support of HB 5218 which will provide incentives to protect and conserve riparian buffers that are critical to the health of the Connecticut River. Stormwater runoff transports pollutants from roads, farmland, sidewalks and yards into our river systems – but riparian buffers act as a filter. Stormwater runoff pollutes our rivers and streams with bacteria, nutrients, oil, microplastics and more. The runoff picks up herbicides, lawn fertilizer, farm waste, road salt and without buffer filtration – it ends up directly in the water. This pollution harms ecological habitats and creates unsafe conditions for recreational opportunities like swimming and boating. Nutrient loads lead to harmful algal blooms, toxic road runoff can kill fish, and agricultural waste can end up in people’s favorite swimming holes. Riverbanks with native trees and shrubs filter polluted runoff and provide a crucial buffer zone between our streams and land use. Protecting existing streamside buffers is far more impactful than restoring lost ones. At CRC, we restore riverbank vegetation throughout the Connecticut River watershed. Since 2011, we have planted more than 79,403 native trees in order to filter polluted runoff and provide a buffer zone. However, we believe that it’s far more impactful to conserve and protect these plants from being removed in the first place. There are a number of critical actions that we will need to take to mitigate the impact of stormwater pollution including planting trees, invasive species removal, and green infrastructure. But protecting existing riparian buffers – which is a nature-based solution – is a cost-effective and impactful action. It’s important to note that in addition to filtering runoff, riparian buffers provide critical wildlife habitat, mitigate floods, stabilize banks, capture carbon dioxide and create beautiful places. I urge you to support HB 5218 as it is a step in the right direction to protecting critical riparian buffers which are integral to maintaining clean and healthy water and mitigating the impact of stormwater pollution. Connecticut River Conservancy Testimony in SUPPORT of HB 5215 An Act Concerning Municipal Authority to Prohibit the Sale of Nips February 26, 2024 To: Honored Co-Chairs, Sen. Lopes and Rep. Gresko, and distinguished Members of the Environment Committee I am writing on behalf of the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC); we are an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the entire Connecticut River valley through initiatives that support clean waters, healthy habitats and thriving communities. I am writing to support HB 5215, which will help Connecticut’s municipalities curb litter and prevent pollution from entering our waterways by banning the sale of nips. Nips are a top item found during our Source to Sea trash cleanups. CRC has organized the annual Source to Sea Cleanup for 28 years. During this watershed-wide event, over a thousand volunteers get their hands dirty to clean up our rivers. They also tally up their trash – counting the items they find so that we can track trends over time and see what types of trash ends up in our waterways. And every year – our volunteers find and remove thousands of nips from our rivers, riverbanks, roadsides, and parks. Pollution from nips threatens the health of aquatic species, and significantly reduces the aesthetic of, and therefore, attraction to and use of the river, a major economic and environmental resource. CRC has advocated for years for a stronger bottle bill to increase recycling of our beverage containers. However, nips cannot be recycled due to their small size which can clog and contaminate recycling machines. So even if they are properly disposed of, nips will end up in landfills rather than recycled like other types of beverage containers. Therefore, CRC supports municipalities that want to ban the sale of nips in their own communities. That will lead to less plastic ending up in our landfills, and less litter in our rivers. Municipalities in Massachusetts like Falmouth and Mashpee have seen reductions in nip litter after bans.1 Falmouth saw nip litter go from 32% of all litter picked up to only 7% after the sales ban.2 CT’s 5 cent tax currently placed on nips has not done enough to actually reduce nip litter throughout the state. Cleaning up nips isn’t enough, we need to stop pollution before it starts. I urge you to support HB 5215, as it will give Connecticut’s municipalities the authority to make choices about litter and plastic pollution in their communities, reduce the influx of plastic waste into our rivers, and help restore the natural beauty of our ecosystems. Thank you for your consideration. I may be reached at rdrozdenko@ctriver.org or 860-929-8021. Rhea Drozdenko (she/her/hers) River Steward

As River Steward for Connecticut River Conservancy, I can’t stop thinking about rivers.  Since the 2011 Tropical Storm Irene, as an organization we have been racing to get projects done to protect communities before the next big flood. Projects like berm removals that allow our rivers to access floodplains so they can slow down and dissipate the energy of flood waters, projects like the removal of deadbeat dams – all of which are no longer in use and have been blocking our rivers for years – that will lower the flood stage when they are out of the way, projects like planting trees along rivers to help slow the energy of floodwaters and provide a healthy forested buffer for flood waters to infiltrate. We all know that in July and then again in December many of our communities got hammered by floods. We still have neighbors that are waiting for help to “build back better” and we are being schooled about the expense of being reactive instead of proactive. Fortunately, the VT legislature started this session with a healthy dose of urgency and is poised to pass some important climate resiliency legislation. Senate bill 213 (S213) will implement multiple changes that will help us proactively protect our communities before the next flood. These changes include moving the regulation of development in the areas along riverbanks from municipalities to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The volunteers who run most of our municipalities have been burdened with this responsibility. Unfortunately, partly because it puts them at odds with their neighbors it has not been done comprehensively, if at all.  Water advocates agree that the State is the more appropriate entity to have responsibility to regulate flood hazard areas and our river corridors to provide space for our rivers to move, reduce flood energy, and store water in their floodplains. The DEC has expertise and experience dealing with accurately identifying river corridors. There is also a strong focus on protecting and restoring our wetlands. Wetlands enable the storage of huge volumes of water while simultaneously purifying it. According to some estimates, we have lost over 30% of our wetlands and we desperately need that storage capacity back. How our wetlands are managed cannot be at the whim of a specific administration. We need comprehensive mapping to understand where our valuable wetlands are to protect them, and we need to codify in law the intention that the Agency of Natural Resources will structure their work around wetlands to achieve a net gain over time. Some privately owned dams, that no longer have any beneficial use, often fall apart and continue to deteriorate or breach during flooding events. In Vermont and nationally, our dam infrastructure is old and decaying. S213 would make changes to the existing State’s Dam Revolving Loan Fund to provide an easier pathway to access funds to remove dangerous or breached dams instead of using State funds only to repair them.  We need additional support for our Dam Safety staff to increase inspections and provide additional funding to get unused and unsafe dams out of our rivers. Additionally, we need to move the oversight of the few hydro facilities in VT that are not regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from the Public Utilities Commission to the VT DEC Dam Safety Program  – who has the expertise and engineers needed to properly inspect dams and protect public safety. Flood resilience costs money up front, so we need to expand the flexibility of our Clean Water Funding to increase implementation of natural resource projects for flood resiliency all over the State.  While we support the Agency of Natural Resources work to address the excess amount of phosphorus affecting Lake Champlain, we also need increased support for projects all over the state that will protect our communities from the excessive and expensive flooding that we know will be coming our way, year after year from now on. This commentary is by Kathy Urffer, resident of Brattleboro and River Steward for Connecticut River Conservancy in VT.