Molly Lambert, Vermont State Director for USDA Rural Development, was joined by Jenny Nelson from U.S. Senator Bernie Sander’s Office, State Officials, and Lyndon Town Officials for an Earth Day tree planting celebration and to announce the award of a USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Program grant to upgrade the local wastewater treatment plant.
Lyndon will upgrade its plant, which was built over 30 years ago and serves almost 600 residential and 300 commercial users. The upgrade will provide for its wastewater collection and treatment for the next 20 years, as well as protect and ensure the water quality of the Passumpsic River.
In 2003, Lyndon made a major upgrade to the sludge treatment system. Since these changes, the facility has reduced its annual sludge production by 24 dry tons annually or 65 percent. The system produces Class A sludge with a variety of disposal opportunities as a soil supplement or fertilizer. The sludge is stored off-site. Lyndon WWTF planned improvements include the construction of an enclosed sludge storage shed where the sludge will be stored and made available to residents free of charge. The ceremonial tree planting, in observance of Earth Day, included use of this sludge as one of the tree’s fertilizers.
“Working to improve environmental quality is a critical responsibility for all of us,” said Molly Lambert, State Director for USDA Rural Development. “The Town of Lyndon’s commitment to their key infrastructure and protection of their environmental resources assures a healthier and cleaner community for generations to come.”
The event was documented by Lyndon State College’s Department of Television Studies and can be viewed at http://www.lyndonstate.edu/news7/archive.htm and clicking on April 22, 2010 and then click on Wastewater Grant.
Town of Lyndon Selectboard member, Martha “Marty” Feltus, takes her turn supplementing the soil with Class A Sludge for the Red Maple tree planted at Lyndon’s Bandstand Park in observance of Earth Day. Pictured left to right: Mark Koprowski, Community Programs Loan Specialist; Molly Lambert, USDA Rural Development State Director; Dick Lawrence and Howard Crawford, State of VT Representative for Caledonia County, VT; Kermit Fisher, Lyndon Selectboard; Jenny Nelson from the office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders; Rhonda Shipppee, Community Programs Director, USDA Rural Development; Tim Gaskins, Lyndon Village Trustee; and Edwin Betz, ARRA Engineer, USDA Rural Development.