Bi ­national ­governments meet to ­discuss environmental future of Lake ­Memphremagog

As part of the permit to expand the landfill in Coventry, Vermont, near the Black River, which empties into the southern end of Lake Memphremagog, two groups which had opposed the expansion were able to reach a settlement agreement that puts a four-year moratorium on leachate entering the lake. Now the two groups, along with several Quebec municipalities around the lake, would like to see the moratorium expanded to a more permanent basis. Water in the lake flows north into Quebec, where 175,000 people get their drinking water. The groups hosted a meeting for Canadian and Vermont lawmakers Monday morning in Newport, Vermont to discuss the environmental future of the lake. Also on hand were mayors and town officials from Derby, Vermont to Magog. Representatives from Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources and Casella Waste Systems, the landfill’s owner, were available to answer questions. The landfill has been permitted a 51-acre expansion for a total of 128 acres, which will allow it to operate about another 20 years. See full story in the Tuesday, Jan. 14 edition of The Record.