MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont residents are being asked for their input on how to spend about $46.9 million to clean up water pollution in the state.

The Vermont Clean Water Board is seeking feedback in an online questionnaire on the funding levels and the board’s proposed prioritization of funding, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation said.

“The $46.9 million available in the 2023 clean water budget is an all-time high in funds available to improve Vermont’s water quality, in part thanks to additional leveraging of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds,” Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore said in a written statement. “This is an exciting milestone and underscores the importance of public input to inform funding priorities.”

The funding helps municipalities, farmers and others create projects that reduce pollution washing into waterways, ranging from farmers planting cover crops to reduce soil erosion and improve soil health to municipalities stabilizing roadside erosion, the department said. Water quality projects also help to protect Vermonters from damaging flooding, the department said.

The board’s draft budget is available online. Input can be sent through the questionnaire to the Clean Water Board through Nov. 19. The board will make its final budget recommendations in December.

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