Research Webinar: The Economics of Mitigating Harmful Algal Blooms in Transboundary Lake Champlain and Vermonters' Willingness to Pay
View a recording of this webinar.
Join us for an insightful session exploring the increasing frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Lake Champlain, driven by climate change and agricultural nutrient runoff. This webinar will present findings on the average amount Vermont residents are willing to pay—$38.48 per person annually—to reduce phosphorus loading and mitigate these blooms. We’ll discuss how this public willingness can guide policymakers in adjusting car registration and water bill fees to raise up to $18.67 million per year, funding the initiatives supporting the EPA’s 2015-2030 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) goals for phosphorus reduction. This approach offers a potential model for other regions experiencing harmful algal blooms as a result of urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural expansion.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.