Newport Downtown Development invites community members to attend an important public discussion on the health of Lake Memphremagog and ongoing efforts to protect the watershed.
Science Matters! – Lake Memphremagog: Learning the Facts & Finding Solutions will be held Wednesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. in Room 380 of the North Country Career Center in Newport. The event will also be available via Zoom.
The informational meeting comes amid growing concern about water quality in Lake Memphremagog, a vital natural resource for Newport, surrounding Vermont communities and municipalities across the border in Quebec. Elected officials from communities around the lake in both Quebec and Vermont have signed a joint statement calling for a prohibition on landfill leachate discharge anywhere in the Lake Memphremagog watershed. A bill introduced this session, H.652, has the same goal.
To help the public better understand the current science, a panel of environmental scientists from the United States and Quebec will present research and discuss risks posed by chemical contamination in the watershed, including contamination linked to landfill leachate discharge.
While landfill leachate is not the only source of pollution in the watershed, research has shown that leachate can contain concerning levels of PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” along with other toxic substances. These contaminants can accumulate in water, fish and wildlife, raising concerns for people who drink from the lake or eat fish from its waters.
The panel will include:
- Dr. Vicki Blazer, PhD, USGS, fish health and disease researcher focused on brown bullhead research
- Dr. Sebastien Sauve, PhD, University of Montreal, environmental chemistry
- Dr. Kyla Bennet, PhD, JD, director of science policy, PEER Group
- Dr. Nicole Dennis, PhD, University of Florida, chemistry and environmental toxicology
- Dr. David Bond, PhD, Bennington College, associate director of CAPA
The discussion will be facilitated by Marguerite Adelman, coordinator of PFAS Free Vermont.
This event is an opportunity for residents, business owners, local officials and anyone who cares about Lake Memphremagog to hear directly from scientists, ask questions and learn more about the challenges facing the watershed.
Event details
What: Science Matters! – Lake Memphremagog: Learning the Facts & Finding Solutions
When: Wednesday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.
Where: North Country Career Center, Room 380, Newport
Online: Zoom access available at the event link provided by organizers
For those attending virtually, the Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83011847097?pwd=0stJYL72CBHE1HdkR9ZYeqFtq63jOQ.1
North Country Career Center information is available at:
https://nc3.ncsuvt.org/