This bill establishes the Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program Foundation, a nonprofit organization to manage and fund efforts to protect and restore Lake Champlain, which spans New York, Vermont, and Quebec. The Foundation will be governed by a steering committee made up of representatives from state environmental and agriculture agencies, local governments, citizens advisory committees, federal agencies, and other stakeholders, and will implement a comprehensive pollution prevention and climate change response plan for the lake basin. The bill authorizes $45 million annually from 2025 through 2034 for the Foundation to accept and distribute funds, along with an additional $10 million per year for grant assistance to states and nonprofit organizations working on lake restoration and research. The legislation affects residents and communities in the Lake Champlain Basin across New York and Vermont, as well as environmental agencies and organizations involved in water quality protection, and establishes a framework for coordinated management of the lake's water quality, ecosystems, and climate resilience over the next decade.
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