The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says cleaning up Lake Champlain and other lakes is critical to the future of the region and the country.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy was in Burlington Friday where she kicked off a "Call to Action" with representatives of more than a dozen federal agencies that are working to reduce pollution and harmful algae blooms in the lake.
She says similar algae blooms across the country are becoming an ever-greater problem that is made worse by climate change and the warming waters of many of those lakes, including Lake Champlain.
McCarthy also announced a technical assistance grant for the city of Burlington that will help city officials plan better ways to deal with storm runoff and waste water.
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