Vermont Has Spent Nearly a Billion Dollars to Clean Up Lake Champlain. But the Green Slime Keeps Coming Back.

For nearly a decade and nearly $1 billion, the state of Vermont has invested in cleaning up Lake Champlain, a source of drinking water for around 200,000 residents. Despite these efforts, the lake continues to experience recurring outbreaks of cyanobacteria, colloquially known as blue-green algae, which can produce toxic substances.

Jeff van den Noort, a resident of North Hero, Vermont, has been documenting the blooms since 2010, noting that the water's condition has worsened over the years. The culprit behind these issues is phosphorus, a vital nutrient that, when present in excessive amounts, can disrupt the lake's ecosystem, leading to harmful algal blooms.

These blooms pose serious health risks to humans and animals, as well as harm to local wildlife and fisheries. Despite improvements in some areas, seven sampling stations along the lake have consistently exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's phosphorus limits since 2015, with some recording higher levels than in the previous decade.

The state's progress towards its 2036 cleanup goal has been slow, meeting only 35% of its target halfway through the two-decade timeline. The EPA has warned that Vermont is not on track to meet this goal, and more substantial efforts will be required to bring Lake Champlain back to a healthy state.