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HOSTED DOCUMENTS
4-10-08 CGWDG Meeting
minutes
Minutes from Montpelier Springs Study Group April 10th, at U-32
Ginny Callan facilitated the meeting with help from Paul Erlbaum and Carolyn Shapiro. 15 people attended including Kim Watson representing the Planning Commission and Tom Brazier who is Project Director for the Springs Project.
1. Update on S304 bill to make groundwater a public trust: Carolyn gave an update on the bill S304 which is now in the House Committee on Fish, Wildlife and Water. It needs to be voted out of committee soon! Rep. Deen, Chair, has encouraged everyone to write letters. This is the e-mail for the representatives on the committee.
Two representatives have no e-mail: Rep.Randall- phone: 744-2417; and Rep. Johnson - phone 277-8329
ddeen@leg.state.vt.us
lshaw@leg.state.vt.us
jmccullough@leg.state.vt.us
gcourcelle@leg.state.vt.us
janderson@leg.state.vt.us
stevenadams@leg.state.vt.us
cmartin@leg.state.vt.us
2. Areas of Study: After going around the room to introduce ourselves and say something about why we came, Paul handed out the East Montpelier resolution, and we developed a list of interest areas to study, and formed committees to study them. Areas of interest included:
History of Spring
Permitting Process
Scientific data/mapping
Montpelier Spring Project: background and present data
Researching other communities' experiences with water withdrawal
Pipeline rights of water
Legislation
Funds for general study/mapping
Definitions/clarification
3. NEXT GENERAL MEETING: June 18th, 7:00 to 9:00 at U-32. Room to be announced.
4. Discussion: Tom Brazier reported on the progress of the Montpelier Springs Bottling Proposal. a. It will be gravity feed, no pumping, and will be siphoned over to the other side of town. b. There are four active springs that come together. In the past, they provided water for the city of Montpelier. In 1940is, estimated 480 gallons/minute were used. Up until last year, the springs served three different homes on North Street but in 2007, this water was capped off. c. If the new pipeline to the bottling plant is leaky, right-away easements will allow the company to come on the land and fix the pipe. The pipes will cross peopleis property as well as go along the town roads. The Springs Project has gotten permission from all the landowners. The pipe will be 6 feet deep. It is a 4 inch pipe and will be put in by directional boring (tunnel under the road) and will be in the road right-a-way. If the company accepts Tom Brazieris proposal for the pipe route, the pipe will cross 6 properties and go along 1 miles of town road, and then along state highway. The pipeis destination would be the Packard Industrial Park. d. Tom thinks only 1/3 of what he sees flowing will be used. The State requires 20% to be held back. Tom said studies have been done during really dry years in the 1990s. QUESTION: What happens if the company has a permit for certain amount of water then doesnit have the flow? TOM: The contingency plan is to buy water from the City of Montpelier. Mr. Antonovich has been offered three other springs in the area and the use of 10 others in the State. At this point, he is not interested. QUESTION: Where is all the water going now? TOM: Itis running down into the woods toward the Montpelier Swimming Pool. QUESTION: Any water going down to North Street? TOM: Yes, until it was capped off; it would go to the reservoir. Mr. Antonovich just sold property on North Street where the water used to go. Water eventually goes into the North Branch. DISCUSSION: Much discussion about where the water goes. Talked about how lots of water comes out of Sparrow Farm hill top. QUESTION: What is the amount of flow? Is it what the business proposal says or has there been a change. TOM: Same as is in the business plan proposal. SUGGESTION: The water now is water from melted snow, and it will be different in September. Need to get our definitions clear so we all agree on our definition of surface water, ground water etc. TOM: The temperature of the spring water never varies more than a few degrees so it has to be deep. (Temperatures taken last year) It is also soft unlike most other water around here. QUESTION: Where is the proposal at now? TOM: We would like to apply for Public Use of Water from ANR and then apply for permit to sell water. Then the Act 250 process comes in, and we think that will take two years to do all the testing the State will want. SUGGESTION: We could do a citizen data gathering about local wells. TOM: We have gathered a lot of data already and will share it with you. QUESTION: How much money has already been spent to fix the spring box and get the project going? What state is the financing at? TOM: Iim not as involved with this part but I will ask. QUESTION: Do you see the moratorium as legally binding? If not, we need to find out where the public can be involved. TOM: Canit respond to the question of the moratorium. Act 250 gets the public involved. QUESTION: Does a bottling company make much money? TOM: If you look at a little company like in Randolph, they are making money
The meeting adjourned after setting a date for the next general meeting.