This Bill is over 133 pages and 17 of those pages focus on funding. I know that some people believe that we can just re-write some of the rules and move a few people from the Ag Agency to Natural Resources Agency, but we believe that we just haven't had enough people in the Ag Agency to get the job done and we need more people in the Ag Water Quality Division to address this long standing issue. 

To help fund this initiative, the House Fish, Wildlife, and Water Resources Committee came up with a good mix of taxes and fees that will impact all of us and I think I heard raise near 13 million dollars for clean water annually.  

First and foremost, Large Farms, Medium Farm and Small Farms will have a new permit fee.  Every other business in Vermont has fees associated with them, except agriculture?  The bill has a 1/2% increase in the Meals and Rooms and Alcohol Tax.  I know this one is not popular, but I believe it makes sense.  When you think about the number of people who visit Vermont to ski on our slopes, eat our local foods, drink our great beer, and enjoy our unspoiled views, I believe they too should help with our water quality clean up efforts. There is a small 2 cent increase in the gas tax.  Again, not a bad idea when you think about the impact our roads have on our water resources and much of this money will be used to address the water coming off, around, and under those roads. The bill also adds a fertilizer tonnage and feed tax in and increases the fees on all of the stormwater permits and the stormwater discharge permits.  

The one that is missing from all of these is that per parcel fee.  On Friday, experts came to basically tell House Fish, Wildlife, and Water Resources why this would not be possible to collect. However I heard that someone was in Senate Ag at the same time explaining how it would be possible.  I do not know enough about the inner-workings of the tax department, but I hope someone can help explain this and how it would or would not be possible.  Bill H.35 does have in it a report due to the legislator for a recommendation for establishing a per parcel fee by January 15, 2016.

All IN?  We knew this would not be easy and that at times our desire for clean water is at odds with how our land use patterns and lifestyles have evolved.  Funding this is another piece that will have us all feeling a little pain, as we grapple with ensuring we have the resources to implement the work that needs to get done on behalf of our water quality.  I know one legislator (maybe there are more), that thinks this is an issue isolated to the Lake Champlain Basin and it is our responsibility to change our behavior and pay for it ourselves with no help from her constituents.   Just as an aside, her watershed received over $1 million dollars from the statewide Ecosystem Restoration Fund from 2006-2014.  Also, I am not sure how successful her community would be 'but for' the economic engine and statewide taxes generated by the counties in the Lake Champlain Basin, including Chittenden and Franklin!  

I would like to commend the Franklin County Delegation for their commitment and leadership on this issue and the work they are doing to look under every rock and turn over every leaf to look for the funding in the current budget.  I know they are very well-meaning in this effort and are working on our behalf.  My message to them is to look everywhere for funding, but if you cannot find it, please ensure that this bill has funding in it, whether it is new revenue or existing revenue.