Protecting the Environment

From our snow-topped Green Mountains to our crystal blue lakes, Vermonters have always placed high value on the environment. Senator Leahy is proud to represent these values in the United States Senate. By leading the way on clean air, clean water, and renewable energy policy, he has proposed the first comprehensive plan to curb mercury pollution and enact the nation's first "green" farm bills which have helped farmers become strong partners in environmental progress in their communities.

Protecting Lake Champlain

The Leahy Center For Lake Champlain

HANDS-ON EDUCATION – For five years, Pat Leahy worked with the City of Burlington and the University of Vermont to create their Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain that houses ECHO and the Rubenstein lab. This state-of-the-art science center is expected to educate and entertain thousands of visitors each year about all aspects of our beautiful lake.

Lake Champlain Research Consortium

PROTECTING LAKE CHAMPLAIN -- Pat Leahy has provided colleges and universities throughout Vermont with $150,000 to $200,000 a year for basic water and air monitoring research on Lake Champlain.

Sea Grant Program and "Great" Lake Champlain

THE SIXTH GREAT LAKE – After Pat Leahy had Lake Champlain temporarily deemed a " Great Lake ," the Lake was able to receive money from the federal Sea Grant Program. He has continued working with the University of Vermont 's Lake Champlain Sea Grant program to bring in more than $500,000 for the lake and to make it an independent program.

Invasive Species

STOPPING THE INTRUDERS -- By renewing the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act, Pat Leahy fought for funding to halt the spread of invasive aquatic species such as sea lampreys, water chestnuts, zebra mussels, and Eurasian milfoil in Lake Champlain.

Controlling Wastewater

KEEPING IT CLEAN – Pat Leahy has worked to protect the Lake Champlain basin by getting Vermont wastewater grants to help towns reduce the discharge of phosphorus-containing wastewater into the lake.

A Vibrant Green Mountain National Forest

Growing the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF)

PROTECTING THEIR HABITATS – In the past six years, Pat Leahy worked to get more than $10 million to protect lands within the GMNF, which include key black bear habitat, salmon habitat and scenic mountain vistas.

Land Acquisition and Wilderness Protection

MORE GREEN ACRES – Pat Leahy has succeeded in adding more than 120,000 acres to the Green Mountain National Forest. He and the Vermont Congressional Delegation soon will consider legislation for wilderness additions to the enlarged GMNF.

Protecting the Working Forests

Forest Legacy

SAVING THE FORESTS – Since 1990, the Forest Legacy program Pat Leahy created has helped Vermonters protect more than 50,000 forested acres. As a result of this program, in 2001 Vermont received $1.2 million in Forest Legacy funds to purchase conservation easements on more than 6000 acres of forested land in the Northern Forest and Mt. Holly Wildlife Corridor.

Forest Stewardship

HELPING FORESTLAND OWNERS -- Pat Leahy has continued working to increase forest stewardship funding to help private forestland owners develop stewardship plans for their woodlands.

Northeastern States Research Cooperative

KNOWING THE NORTHERN FOREST -- Originally proposed to be a research program to better understand ecosystems and rural development issues in the Northern Forest, the Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC) that Pat Leahy fought for in the Senate has provided $1 million for NSRC in Vermont.

Reducing Mercury Pollution

Omnibus Mercury Act

STOPPING THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM -- Pat Leahy introduced the Omnibus Mercury Emissions Reduction Act, the first and only comprehensive mercury pollution control bill to be proposed in Congress. The bill was originally introduced to propose regulations for the five worst industrial sources of mercury identified in the Environmental Protection Agency's 1997 Mercury Report to Congress. The current version addresses issues of mercury left behind by defunct industries and also ensures adequate funding for the national mercury monitoring network.

The Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standard

REDUCING POLLUTION – Pat Leahy has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to make sure the Maximum Achievable Control Technology's (MACT) new regulations are enforced. The MACT standards would require power plants to reduce mercury pollution by 90 percent by 2007. Pat Leahy called for stricter restrictions on mercury pollution than the Bush Administration's Clear Skies proposal.

Battling the Food and Drug Administration On Mercury Standards

PROTECTING OUR FOOD -- Pat Leahy has pressed the Food and Drug Administration to adopt a stricter "action level" (the level at which they can legally remove fish from the market) and to be more active in public education about the risks of methylmercury exposure – particularly to pregnant women and young children.

Creating Recreational Opportunities

Like many Vermonters, Pat Leahy enjoys spending time in Vermont's outdoors and has worked to expand recreational opportunities throughout the Green Mountain State.

• CONSERVING RIVERS AND TRAILS – Pat Leahy worked with the national Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance program to help numerous projects in Vermont, including the Wells River "Cross Vermont" project, Lake Champlain walkways, Champion Lands Long Term Access Plan, and the Trail Around Middlebury. He also secured more than $200,000 in for the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
• PROTECTING THE FUNDING – Pat Leahy led the Senate to restore funding for the statewide Land and Water Conservation Fund, which supports local conservation and recreation projects.
• FISHERIES – In addition to working to improve Vermont's Pittsford and White River hatcheries, Pat Leahy secured more than $300,000 to repair the raceways and other infrastructure at Pittsford.

Burlington Harbor Improvements

PROTECTING THE HARBOR – Pat Leahy worked to get more than $4 million to help restore the historic lighthouses and to repair the Burlington Breakwater to protect the harbor.

Waterbury Dam

REPAIRING THE DAM – After working to urgently fund the failing Waterbury Dam, Pat Leahy then arranged an agreement for the Army that the Corps of Engineers to be fully responsible for dam repair costs. He and Senator Jeffords and Congressman Sanders have worked together to secure the funds that are being used to repair the dam.

Restoring the Connecticut River

Connecticut River Joint Commissions

In 1998 and 1999, Senator Leahy helped bring nearly $200,000 to the Commissions. He is also the lead sponsor of legislation to make the Commissions eligible for funding from the National Park Service through the statutory aid account.

Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission

Pat Leahy won authorization for the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission in the 2002 Farm Bill and then led the funding effort in 2002, securing $500,000 for the Commission to restore salmon habitat along the Connecticut River.

Elizabeth Mine Superfund Site

Pat Leahy has been a constant advisor and facilitator for state and local leaders involved in the Elizabeth Mine clean-up effort. Through his leadership, all parties have come to a voluntary agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency that the mine site should be added to the National Priorities List (a precursor to Superfund status) and should receive federal aid in the mine remediation effort.

Connecticut River Science Consortium

Pat Leahy has worked to secure support for the Connecticut River Science Consortium since 1999, resulting in the University of Vermont receiving $100,000 per year.

Protecting Vermont's Natural Treasures

Missisquoi Headquarters Building

Pat Leahy secured more than $2 million to build a new headquarters and visitor contact building at the Missisquoi Refuge.

Conte Refuge

• PROTECTING THE NULHEGAN BASIN -- In 1999, Pat Leahy worked to get more than $6 million in federal funds to protect 26,000 acres of the Nulhegan Basin and create the Nulhegan section of the Conte National Wildlife Refuge. In working out the arrangements, Pat Leahy pledged to Vermonters that they would be able to keep their traditional access to the lands, including fishing, hunting, trapping, and snowmobiling.
• PRESERVING THE NULHEGAN BASIN -- Pat Leahy has continued to help protect this area through annual land acquisition funding, including $1 million in 2000 and $1.1 million in 2001 and 2002. Also, in 2002 he got the initial funding for the construction of the headquarters building.

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park

Pat Leahy has been a key supporter of the Marsh-Billings-Rockerfeller Park since it was opened. He has helped with operations funding, with support for the Conservation Study Institute, and with key maintenance money to install fire protection.

Clean Air

In 1990, Pat Leahy was one of the first senators to push for improvements in the clean air law, and he is continuing this mission with his introduction of theClean Power Plant and Modernization Act, which would enact reform through emissions caps. This bill also promotes tax incentives for new, clean, and efficient equipment and authorizes increased funding for national air monitoring systems to upgrade and repair the systems that are now over two decades old.

Holding the Bush Administration Accountable

Forestry Regulations—Defending the Public's Voice

LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC -- Pat Leahy has been an outspoken critic of the Bush Administration's push to limit public input on Forest Service land management decisions. In the last year, the Administration has proposed new rules to curtail National Environmental Policy Act reviews, limit administrative appeals, and reduce interagency review of the impact Forest Service activities would have on endangered species. Many of these proposals are also part of the Administration's "Healthy Forests Initiative" that Senator Leahy opposed. Senator Leahy offered alternative legislation that would help reduce wildfire risk while protecting our environmental laws and public participation.

Energy Plan and Clean Air

• OPPOSING THE ADMINISTRATION'S SCHEME -- Pat Leahy questioned why the Bush Administration's National Energy Plan rolled policies back to the 1950's and why it was created by Vice President Cheney's secret task force.
• CALLING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY – Pat Leahy pressed the Administration to find out how the New Source Review of the Clean Air Act resulted in reduced regulations for polluters.