Québec, Vermont and the State of New York Continue their Collaboration for the Protection of Lake Champlain

CROWN POINT, NY, June 19, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Québec, Vermont and the State of New York today announced that they will continue to work together to restore and protect the waters and natural resources of Lake Champlain.

Meeting in Crown Point, N.Y., the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, David Heurtel, on behalf of the Premier of Québec, together with the Governor of Vermont, Phil Scott, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and representatives from the states of New York and Vermont, joined today in the signing ceremony for the fourth edition of the Lake Champlain Action Plan, entitled Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of Lake Champlain. Québec fully supports the Action Plan and contributes to its management as a member of the Steering Committee of the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) responsible for reviewing and implementing it. An accompanying message from the Premier of Québec confirms its commitment to implement the updated Management Plan alongside its Vermont and New York State partners.

The plan itself and the formation of the Steering Committee charged with implementing it stem from the Environmental Cooperation Agreement on the Management of Lake Champlain, signed in 1988 by the Gouvernement du Québec, the State of Vermont and the State of New York, which recognized the need for concerted action to protect Lake Champlain, reduce pollution and restore the lake's ecosystems.

During his visit, Minister Heurtel held discussions with the Governor of Vermont, Phil Scott, and the Secretary for Natural Resources of Vermont, Julie Moore, on issues related to the protection of our common natural resources and the importance of collaboration to obtain concrete results in the fight against climate change. He also held meetings with EPA officials.

Quotes:

"The Gouvernement du Québec is an active player in the management of shared waters and the protection of natural resources. The renewal of this action plan illustrates the high degree of collaboration between Québec and its American partners for the protection of Lake Champlain, its ecosystems and its present and future uses. The Lake Champlain Basin is a public asset that we must all share. We are determined to carry forward the efforts deployed over numerous years to ensure the best quality of life for our children. Let's do it for them!"

David Heurtel, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change

Highlights:

• Québec participates actively in the sound management of the water resources of Lake Champlain, the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. For years, it has collaborated with various states in managing their shared watershed, for example through the LCBP, the Great Lakes Commission, the Conference of Governors and Premiers of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Water Resources Compact.

Related link:

• The Lake Champlain Action Plan can be consulted on the website of the LCBP http://www.lcbp.org/about-us/opportunities-for-action/

SOURCE:	INFORMATION:
Emilie Simard Press Attaché Office of the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change Tel.: [phone]	Relations médias Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques Tel.: [phone]

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques

For further information: SOURCE: Emilie Simard, Press Attaché, Office of the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, Tel.: [phone]; INFORMATION: Relations médias, Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, Tel.: [phone]