Clean Water Act
50th Anniversary
Fifty years ago, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, the nation’s first comprehensive legislation protecting water quality. Life in the Champlain Valley has always been deeply connected to the water of Lake Champlain. This landmark legislation expanded federal protection of the waters of the United States, paving the way for policies, protections, and funding dedicated to clean water. Subsequent amendments to the Act strengthened protections for Lake Champlain, creating the Lake Champlain Basin Program and helping to improve the water quality of the Lake for generations to come.
The LCBP and the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership has worked with partners throughout 2022 to commemorate the anniversary with a variety of events, activities, and publications. The anniversary has been the theme of the Basin’s World Water Day celebration in March and the Lake Champlain Research Conference in May. Signature events were held in Lake Placid, NY in August and in Burlington, VT in October. Other projects include:
- The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Photo Contest
- A traveling exhibit with six interpretive banners and accompanying Quest and Quiz.
- A series of projects funded by CVNHP grants, including:
- BluSeed Studio’s exhibit “Multi-Cultural Interpretations on how Pollution impacts the Lake Champlain Watershed.”
- Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s exhibit “The Clean Water Act at 50.”
