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Conservation district offers Middletown Springs help applying for culvert grant to reduce phosphorus
Summary
A conservation district representative asked the town to consider two culverts as candidates for a Lake Champlain phosphorus-reduction grant, estimated one project could cost roughly $30,000, and said the next application round is in April; the district offered to prepare the application and serve as applicant if desired.
A representative of the regional conservation district briefed the Middletown Springs Select Board on a grant opportunity that funds culvert replacements to reduce phosphorus runoff into Lake Champlain.
The presenter said the program allocates funds based on estimated phosphorus reduction and identified two candidate culverts—one on Fitzgerald Road with significant erosion and a combined pair of culverts on Norton Road—whose replacement might qualify for funding. “One of the sites we estimated would be about $30,000,” the presenter said, describing that figure as an engineer’s estimate and noting the town could reduce costs by doing some work in-house.
Board members discussed practicalities: whether the town or the conservation district should serve as applicant, whether municipal roads general permit (MRGP) rules would restrict eligible culverts, and timing. The presenter said the next funding round is in April and volunteered to prepare an application and handle most of the grant-writing work if the board agrees to pursue it. The board asked staff to identify priority culverts so the district can complete calculations for phosphorus reduction and cost.
If the town decides to proceed the board will decide whether the town or the district is listed as applicant and whether the town will commit in-kind labor to lower the local match.
