A Letter from VNRC about VY, Tritium and Groundwater

Dear Members, Activists and Friends:

Vermont Yankee is in the news again because officials have found radioactive tritium in a new well. This time, it's a well that had been used for drinking water as recently as last March.

Click here to read a well-researched story from VTDigger outlining what regulators in other states have done to address tritium leaks at other nuclear power plants.

Here in Vermont, we need your help to put pressure on our own officials. They need to get serious and crack down on Vermont Yankee.

Ever since the tritium leak at VY was discovered earlier this year, VY has been downplaying the spill, saying the tritium was not in drinking water.

But VNRC, in recent legal filings before state regulators, has pointed out that under Vermont law, the state’s groundwater – all of it – is a public trust resource and should be managed and protected for all Vermonters. Now, with this most recent news, VY has been stripped even of the flimsy “it’s not in the drinking water” defense.

Aquifers are connected. Ignoring that is like suggesting that venom from a snake bite on your hand will never flow to your heart.

Here is what you can do, right now: contact the office of Gov. Jim Douglas, and tell him to order the Agency of Natural Resources to do its job and crack down on the poisoning of our groundwater at Vermont Yankee. Call his office today at 802-828-3333. Or, you can quickly go to his website here and write a note.

Please, do this today.

On another water issue, this time on our northern boundary . . .

The federal Environmental Protection Agency recently ordered Jay Peak ski area to restore wetlands after the resort filled in wetlands and streams with dirt, sand and rocks, in violation of the Clean Water Act. This action by EPA is largely the result of VNRC’s persistent and detailed work, over several years, to highlight the water quality problems at Jay Peak. Click here for more information about VNRC’s on-the-ground stormwater work, including a copy of a VNRC report, “Unchecked and Illegal – How ANR is Failing to Protect Vermont’s Lakes and Streams.”

Our work to protect Vermont’s precious water resources would not be possible without members like you. Thanks for all you do!

The VNRC Team

E-coli Results 7-14-10

2010 West River Watershed Alliance
Bi-weekly E.coli Level Report
(Updated July 15, 2010)
* State of Vermont Standard = 77 Escherichia coli (E. coli) organisms per 100 ml. of water sample.
EPA’s National Standard = 235 E. coli organisms per 100 ml. of water sample.
E. coli is a species of fecal coliform bacteria found in fecal material
from humans and other warm-blooded animals.
EPA recommends E. coli as an indicator of health risk from water contact in recreational waters.
Elevated E.coli levels are most likely due to excessive rain prior to sampling.
Swim at your own discretion.
Please note that changes in river conditions will alter bacterial levels over time.
Testing results are provided as a public service by the West River Watershed Alliance (WRWA),
also known as Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA),
and is supported by State of VT’s LaRosa Environmental Testing Laboratory and
Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC).
E. coli information for State parks and Army Corps of Engineers facilities
is available through those agencies.
Contact Laurie Callahan, Program Coordinator (volunteer), with questions
or if you would like to volunteer for WRWA programs. 802-258-1877
Recreational
Swimming Holes
Escherichia coli
(E. coli) per 100 ml. water
Sampling Results
West River June 30 July 14
Milk House Meadows 36 & 40 89*
Brattleboro Professional Center 23 52
Dummerston Covered Bridge 19 12
Brookline Bridge 52 26
Townsend, Ellen Ware Road 43 No Data Available
So. Londonderry, Rowes Road 102 * 1987*
So. Lndndry., Cobb’s swim hole 51 613 & 867*
Whetstone Brook
Behind Brattleboro Food Coop 185 * No Data Available
Ball Mountain Brook
Jamaica Village 6 60
Williams River
Bartonsville Bridge 145 & 205 * 138*
Rainbow Rock, Chester 112 * 291*
Saxtons River
Bellows Falls “sandy beach” 65 210*
Saxtons River Center 54 145 & 179*

Recreational Sites &
Swimming Holes
Escherichia coli
(E. coli) per 100 ml. water
Sampling Results
West River June 30Milk House Meadows 36 & 40
Brattleboro Professional Center 23
Dummerston Covered Bridge 19
Brookline Bridge 52
Ellen Ware Road 43
So. Londonderry, Rowes Road 102
Cobb’s swim hole 51
Whetstone Brook
Behind Brattleboro Food Coop 185
Ball Mountain BrookJamaica village 6
Williams RiverBartonsville bridge 145 & 205
Rainbow Rock 112
Saxtons RiverBellows Falls “sandy beach” 65
Saxtons River Center 54


2010 West River Watershed Alliance
Bi-weekly E.coli Level Report
State of Vermont Standard = 77 Escherichia coli (E. coli) organisms per 100 ml of water sample.
EPA’s National Standard = 235 E. coli organisms per 100 ml of water sample.
E. coli is a species of fecal coliform bacteria found in fecal material
from humans and other warm-blooded animals.
EPA recommends E. coli as an indicator of health risk from water contact in recreational waters.
Elevated E.coli levels are most likely due to excessive rain prior to sampling.
Swim at your own discretion.
Please note that changes in river conditions will alter bacterial levels over time.
Testing results are provided as a public service by the West River Watershed Alliance (WRWA),
also known as Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA),
and is supported by State of VT’s LaRosa Environmental Testing Laboratory and
Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC).
E. coli information for State parks and Army Corps of Engineers facilities
are available through those agencies.
Contact Laurie Callahan, Program Coordinator (volunteer), with questions
or if you would like to volunteer for WRWA programs. 802-258-1877

Bugging OUT: Family Stream Adventure

The SeVWA has partnered with the Nature Museum at Grafton to offer two educational programs this spring and summer. Read below to see all that's coming up next and spread the word! Hope to see you there .. Rebecca

Bugging Out: Family Stream Adventure
When: Sat, June 26, 1pm – 3pm
Where: Grafton, VT (map)
Description:
Meet at the Nature Museum. $20/family (1a + 2k) $5/extra kid ...$10/extra adult. Half of the proceeds will be donated to Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA). Join Rebecca Salem of the SeVWA in this adventure for the whole family. This workshop will give participants the chance to learn about the water cycle and its relationship to the life cycles of dragonflies, mayflies, and other common insects. We will splash around in the stream near the Nature Museum looking under rocks and sifting through the stream bottom to find the many animals that live there. As we learn to identify what we find we will explore how these tiny creatures have adapted to survive in different types of streams and rivers. Be sure to bring a water bottle and sturdy shoes for walking in the stream. Please pre-register. 15 participants maximum.