EPA announces $160,000 Pollution Prevention grant for VT Department of Environmental Conservation

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC) recently won an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pollution Prevention grant of $160,000, available over two years, that the department will use to reduce air, water and land pollution.
 
Specifically, VT DEC will use the funding to help local businesses, especially restaurants, comply with a new state law, the Universal Recycling Law (Act 148), which bans businesses from sending organic waste to landfills. This includes leaves, yard and clean wood debris and food waste.

The department will accomplish this through two existing programs, the Vermont Green Business Program (VGBP) and the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence and Pollution Prevention. The department will also conduct outreach activities with dairy processors and conditionally exempt hazardous waste generators (CEGs).
 
"EPA is pleased to support our partner VT DEC by funding these effective and well-designed projects," EPA New England Regional Administrator Curt Spalding said. "Our Pollution Prevention Grants reduce pollution at its source, which is the best way to create a cleaner environment and sustainable economy."
 
The VT DEC’s grant is one of five awarded in the New England region this year, which combined will total approximately $689,000 for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.