[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6386991,"mediaKeyId","2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca","parentId",2117332,"title","Fairs seek help as stormwater rules, costs and lost sites squeeze events","audioSeconds",971,"startMs",1880000,"endMs",2851000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca&start=1880&end=2851","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca/thumbnail_1880000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6386991/Vermont/Fairs-seek-help-as-stormwater-rules-costs-and-lost-sites-squeeze-events","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386991-d24c68d5f12da7f578c36ab94b67fd64/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=hAs~isxQX~TOo2w9OhXUwu1eM8MGZKftO9wNEPpgdJiRXWeX~eEA1zQDCWXwgNHBVllLNLGt85fRSeQMN~vI9D0nZ5La~jGsxB-ioCYlgSWJLNc8AUo1xxQBastMgTD-vHkeyIEEi~GpaO4ztovhIw8IUv0kQYtii9Cs8MXvu5MC-Zy14HlAhX-nA4M10C3njQxZbKpcCeVeS8f1jo77Nhrz~XjceEqLdv3IFamz0EfblrLeG6AOTJViG8oBu0pqbfXjj3l2GxPYqs3Ah8sD6-NTNjCII3zqlvCUhpLBfCdf3Xgyhi-xnQowVLMPHU28QKAVDs0RhqK51hekj8~XUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-16T03:52:51Z","article","Jackie Folsom, lobbyist and secretary for the Vermont Fairs and Field Days Association and president of the Vermont Farm Bureau, told the Senate Agriculture Committee that dozens of Vermont fairs are struggling with the state’s implementation of a federal stormwater rule, capital needs and volunteer shortages.

“We probably are gonna ask to go to the governor and have a conversation,” Folsom said, describing delays and uncertainty in releasing ARPA-funded capital grants that the legislature intended to help fairs meet new stormwater requirements.

Folsom said the federal “3-acre” rule — a stormwater requirement implemented through state permitting — was not originally conceived to apply to agricultural fairs, but state interpretations treat certain gravel and parking areas as impervious surface, bringing many fairgrounds into compliance obligations. She said Champlain Valley Expo, Addison and Rutland fairs have faced engineering costs and project estimates that can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Folsom described the program of state stipend and capital grants: a $110,000 annual stipend pool distributed by the Agency of Agriculture (formula-based) and a separate capital appropriation (about $300,000 in the last biennium) for multi-year facility projects. She said the legislature also secured $2 million in ARPA funds to help fairs with stormwater compliance, but an MOU among the agencies delayed distribution and left some shovel-ready projects without approval.

Folsom said the Franklin County Fair lost its lease and will not operate this year, though organizers are searching for a new site and have some grant money reserved for a down payment. She warned that once volunteer capacity and a fair's site are lost, revival becomes difficult.

Committee members and witnesses also discussed practical problems specific to fairgrounds: peak electric-billing charges tied to event loads, recycling enforcement that can penalize fairs even when vendors comply, and the operational difficulty of meeting stringent mitigation fees and on-site treatment options in constrained sites such as the Vermont State Fair in Rutland.

Folsom urged flexibility in eligibility and interpretations so small fairs can remain viable and noted that many fairs are eligible for a $35,000 average stipend but must provide matching funds and documented progress to receive capital awards. She also said some fairs have spent $50,000 on engineering work, of which $30,000 was reimbursed, and that some mitigation-fee estimates for sites exceed $800,000.

No formal legislative action was taken during the session. Folsom said fair officials will present further details during a scheduled “legislative day” on Feb. 19 and that she will return to testify before other committees as warranted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Agriculture 2025-01-15 9:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Jackie Folsom, representing Vermont’s fairs, told the Senate Agriculture Committee that new stormwater rules, delayed ARPA grant disbursements and rising project costs threaten the viability of several county fairs.","taxTitle","Agriculture, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",35161,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6386995,"Vermont faces EPA scrutiny over agricultural water-quality permitting",298,901000,1199000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca&start=901&end=1199","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca/thumbnail_901000.jpg","/articles/6386995/Vermont/Vermont-faces-EPA-scrutiny-over-agricultural-water-quality-permitting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386995-9e49eba851934faec347478a4dae990d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=dKQ0tnkeQkAsttuh8qsFsrK9r5L6ntUz0QVwBkWxvkYaNhtZQvXV~i6CFWzmMepeur4C27hBnuTVz~YpdE~H7oX4zSeeo4ILrnAGBQ6Ct00egtbw1YAOFDRTr~~hgAd-xzaJrmPoeB6R1SxBMvj1GY3U0aInXuoArJ3TyExntvdiQz4~Wx~5gpQTQ-3OOe-9~fQIInlSnczJzd4KGqxJ4nRsMNDNbbbGrxyyiPuZ5RLsSWMU8VAQcZSHAZuYaf~Z~cXfXHhQH1x6up80~rfA-nUY2lt2qyds30o-nbrYWnul3fwErVlGRRaD6pRrYXRjEXheZIlVRM8A7X438nMvnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michael Grady, legislative counsel, told the Senate Agriculture Committee that a 2022 petition from Clean Water advocates prompted U.S. EPA to raise concerns about whether Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources is adequately implementing agricultural permitting under the Clean Water Act.

“EPA can only . . . require a permit when there's an actual discharge,” Grady said, explaining a central legal distinction: the federal program authorizes permits for point-source discharges, while much farm runoff is treated under different exemptions when farmers follow approved nutrient-management practices.

Grady said the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has the delegated authority to administer federal water permits in the state but has rarely used its authority to require KFO (Clean Water Act) permits for farms with actual discharges. He said EPA’s letter required a proposed corrective action plan. In response, ANR submitted a multi-year plan that, according to Grady, would add inspections, review nutrient-management plans and require permitting for farms with actual discharges over a three- to four-year timeframe if EPA approves it.

He said the policy question before the legislature will be whether to shift broader program responsibilities between ANR and the Agency of Agriculture — advocates are pushing for a larger transfer, while ANR has proposed limited statutory tweaks to keep the regulatory focus on actual point-source discharges.

Grady cautioned that if EPA determines the state will not take sufficient corrective action, it could order remedial steps or, in the extreme, withdraw the state’s delegation for some or all Clean Water Act permitting — an outcome he described as unprecedented for a full withdrawal but not impossible in theory. He noted Wisconsin previously faced a delegation review, which was ultimately resolved without complete withdrawal after a long corrective process.

Committee members asked procedural questions about when a corrective-action clock would start. Grady said the timeline depends on EPA approval and potential litigants; he also noted the dispute is likely to move across multiple legislative committees because it touches on environmental regulation, agriculture and statute changes.

The committee did not vote on statutory changes. Grady said ANR’s proposed corrective action depends on some statutory adjustments and that the legislature may need to consider policy trade-offs about inspection and permitting authority going forward.","Legislative counsel said advocates petitioned EPA over Vermont’s agricultural permitting and that EPA warned the state to enforce farm discharge permitting or risk corrective actions or loss of delegated Clean Water Act authority.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6386999,"EPA draft on PFAS and microplastics raises questions for Vermont farms",587,137000,724000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca&start=137&end=724","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca/thumbnail_137000.jpg","/articles/6386999/Vermont/EPA-draft-on-PFAS-and-microplastics-raises-questions-for-Vermont-farms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386999-88946268beab75daadff3c259640faab/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=gnOhD5Bt3o2C-WfYLSBKHf6EumABF8v53gTgyRnY4oU7ohxl~aUqDJjimme0oQsw8FMT0XmkDQWwodEBD9V4XrMuuVJ0eEqqoKMII4dXi6k5y3Ysw2Oq6MJPutO~zNNWvJZtUeOsBZr6dZzdx-IggFogqszlV6zoJtPBhuNT5NJqhc5E4gl1FAWmMg~QhV8jw6hEMBlcdiJqQT5-AteTehMIW62JJPUz2ZwVZ902xDRRrTIy0FCuT5m9ZqDivBQ8zHLRFYgGg3LD9wBpGdNEi5uggRs86fQSe3XW8x4E9Ss4vSkb~bo~K~1zXAEtm24ypOgP1aP84lBvGoqlYmQ87A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michael Grady, legislative counsel for the Vermont Legislature, told the Senate Agriculture Committee that a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency draft risk assessment on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in farm soils and in biosolids used as fertilizer could prompt federal rulemaking that affects farms.

“The agency of agriculture . . . has been monitoring this issue. So now EPA is basically saying that they may have to do something about it,” Grady said, describing the assessment as a preliminary step that could lead to new federal restrictions on PFAS in soil and in biosolid products.

Grady said one possible federal action would be designating PFAS as a hazardous substance. That classification, he said, would trigger other federal cleanup and liability rules and could make land that exceeds action levels subject to hazardous-site requirements — a prospect that concerns farmers and state officials.

The committee heard that biosolids and other wastewater-treatment residuals tested so far contain PFAS and that EPA’s forthcoming guidance is likely to address how those materials may be reused as fertilizer. Grady said current options for dealing with PFAS-containing biosolids — land application, landfill disposal, or incineration — are all problematic: land application risks spreading contamination, PFAS can leach from landfills, and PFAS require very high temperatures to break down by incineration.

Grady also warned about microplastics appearing in farm soils. He identified plastic mulches and other agricultural plastics as clear sources, but said some microplastic inputs are not yet well traced. “It could contaminate the soil and it could ultimately contaminate milk,” Grady said, noting that the combination of PFAS and microplastics raises food-safety and market concerns for dairy and other farm products.

Committee members asked about human-health links and regulatory timing. Grady said agencies are still evaluating health evidence and that federal action timelines depend on EPA’s internal process and the next administration’s priorities. He described EPA’s multi-year PFAS road map developed during the prior administration and said the agency’s draft soil assessment was circulated to states the morning of the committee meeting.

Because PFAS are a family of thousands of compounds, Grady said state standards that target a handful of PFAS may not capture the full risk and that Vermont officials are already working to align state standards with federal action where possible. He encouraged the committee to expect additional guidance and to follow federal rulemaking closely.

The committee did not take formal action on PFAS or microplastics during the session. Grady said he will return to the committee with more detail at a subsequent meeting.

The discussion underscores unresolved policy and technical decisions for regulators and farmers about biosolid reuse, disposal options, and monitoring strategies while federal and state agencies consider standards.","Legislative counsel outlined an EPA draft risk assessment on PFAS in farm soils and biosolids, warned of possible hazardous-substance designation, and said microplastics in soil and fertilizer present additional, unresolved risks to agricultural producers and food safety.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6386985,"Vermont Food Bank asks lawmakers for $5 million; outlines rise in purchased food and emergency needs",2358,3721000,6079000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca&start=3721&end=6079","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117332-758925939367afaa3a94524d5df97cca/thumbnail_3721000.jpg","/articles/6386985/Vermont/Vermont-Food-Bank-asks-lawmakers-for-5-million-outlines-rise-in-purchased-food-and-emergency-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386985-4ca741ce4f862cbfa27453ab51f25e37/orig.mp4?Expires=1773674217&Signature=bOHvCECNXvm~c-IL9aYjLOMZEEATUWpHvBjy8PQGZBTxbxi1l2yGs5tz43zNNVdEOTvrlMvEMXTEdEdao-LtjKD8UmJNgxsq-TaFoTA--7zsOP7CgWUhLcI1HLCmLMq4XBi28oXvREZDjbAlLGIrbLL5BfNpPLyA0n~AoLdYvi5wpRJLIyqR9PiD~wzFgcZC6SiqXO3-5hMy8vIDGPEgOje4uIeBFPWWsLpaDOKtcUr01qe8IkjCdsf~3iJJKPH1Fhzr5sJSaVXZkjSmR-zesZkBduzz7L8Dzyi4r0rWJnrJYaw7mFXQWTl9zs1lQuuBQgwNuhIXn6x8XqQ~7v4WQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Sayles, CEO of the Vermont Food Bank, and Carrie Stiller, government and public affairs manager, briefed the Senate Agriculture Committee on the food bank’s statewide operations and a $5 million legislative request to support food purchase, distribution and emergency readiness.

“We cover all 14 counties. We're the only food bank in Vermont,” Sayles said, summarizing the organization’s statewide network and logistics. He said the food bank operates three distribution centers (Barre, Rutland and Brattleboro), supports roughly 215 partner sites and distributed about 14.5 million pounds of food in the most recent year — up from about 10–11 million pounds pre-pandemic and down from a COVID peak near 20 million pounds.

Stiller and Sayles outlined program details: the food bank runs USDA commodity programs (including TEFAP and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, CSFP), a SNAP-assistance helpline, the Veggie Van Go produce distributions and school backpack programs. Sayles said donated food supplies about 60% of distributed food, USDA programs account for 15–20%, and the balance is purchased food. A marked trend is rising purchases from Vermont farms: roughly $2.4 million in purchases from Vermont producers in the most recent fiscal year, compared with under $200,000 prior to the pandemic.

Stiller described operational pressure from weather and other emergencies and asked the legislature to provide an appropriation for general operating continuity and emergency responsiveness. “At this point . . . we are actually operating at our maximum capacity,” she said, requesting $1.75 million for emergency-readiness funding routed through Vermont Emergency Management plus additional funds for food purchases and distribution to sustain local procurement and partner support.

Committee members asked for program details, including eligibility thresholds for federal programs and how purchased-food choices balance price and quality. Sayles said Vermont-grown food is often higher quality but costs more than food sourced from larger suppliers in Quebec or other markets; the food bank is balancing quality and cost as overall purchases increase.

The food bank emphasized the role of SNAP (3 Squares Vermont) and said about 69,000 individuals rely on SNAP each month. Stiller noted that many people who use food bank distributions are not enrolled in SNAP and that benefits and eligibility thresholds can be a barrier for some households. The organization said it will continue advocacy and client-assistance work to help households enroll in benefits.

No vote was taken. Food bank leaders said they will continue to meet with legislators and explained the budget request details during subsequent committee briefings and appropriations discussions.","Vermont Food Bank leaders described operations, rising demand and a shift toward purchased and locally sourced food. The bank asked for a $5 million appropriation to support emergency readiness, food purchases (including purchases from Vermont farms) and continued local contracting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fairs seek help as stormwater rules, costs and lost sites squeeze events

Vermont faces EPA scrutiny over agricultural water-quality permitting

EPA draft on PFAS and microplastics raises questions for Vermont farms

Vermont Food Bank asks lawmakers for $5 million; outlines rise in purchased food and emergency needs