Memphremagog Conservation Inc. has filed a submission with the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Secretariat. The submission asserts that Canada and the United States are not effectively enforcing the International Boundary Waters Treaty with respect to water pollution in Lake Memphremagog, which straddles the border in southern Quebec and northern Vermont.
Memphremagog Conservation Inc. contends that a proposed landfill expansion in Coventry County, Vermont will cause water pollution to cross the United States and Canadian border via the lake. This is a concern because water from the lake is used for drinking water by Quebec residents in the province’s Eastern Townships.
The submission also asserts that under applicable Vermont law, the state must ensure that a landfill expansion project will not unduly increase water pollution or the discharge of toxic waste into groundwater. Memphremagog Conservation Inc. is specifically concerned with landfill leachate, which often includes per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and requests that meaningful studies be carried out before the landfill expansion is approved.
The CEC Secretariat has thirty days to examine the submission and determine whether it satisfies the requirements set forth in Article 14(1) of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC).
For further information, consult the CEC Submission on Enforcement Matters website and the registry of submission SEM-19-003 (Lake Memphremagog).
Memphremagog Conservation Inc. (MCI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, conservation and improvement of Lake Memphremagog and its watershed for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) supports cooperation among the NAFTA partners to address environmental issues of continental concern, including the environmental challenges and opportunities presented by continent-wide free trade.
