In Summer of 2024, Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) received a contract from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to develop a Road Erosion Inventory (REI) for private road networks in the Lake Champlain Basin. This multi-year project seeks to address erosion concerns by adapting the existing methodologies of the Municipal Roads General Permit and Lake Carmi REI to a large portion of the state’s unregulated roads. Deliverables will include a GIS layer of private road networks in the Lake Champlain Basin, a suite of Best Management Practices to address these erosion concerns, and a methodology for prioritizing areas of concern.
NRPC aims to open a new avenue for Clean Water Formula Fund eligible projects that can be utilized by municipalities and watershed organizations. By building a framework which quantifies phosphorous loading from private road networks, these projects will be able to receive credit towards Lake Champlain’s TMDL. A significant portion of the Private Roads REI Program will work to develop ongoing communication between NRPC and the stakeholders best equipped to address private road erosion across the Lake Champlain Basin.
If you have questions about the Private Road REI Program, please contact Cliff Jenkins by email or at (802) 524-5958, ext. 132.
