Frequently Asked Questions and Misconceptions

Isn’t this issue resolved? The Castleton, Fair Haven, and Hubbardton Select Boards voted down ProcellaCOR.

No. The select boards voted to not support the LBA and LBPT’s Aquatic Nuisance Control Permit Application. Since the LBA/LBPT originally submitted the application to the DEC, they’re the only ones who can withdraw it. They have not done so. The select boards have no ability to shut down the ProcellaCOR project or withdraw the permit. The issue has NOT been resolved.

How can you say that milfoil has not increased? The area around my dock has gotten much worse over the years.

We understand that and feel your frustration. However, the total amount of milfoil in Lake Bomoseen has barely increased since the 1996 estimate of 600 acres. The current estimate—based on the 2021 SOLitude survey—is 620 acres. There is no way to know the actual total acreage of milfoil in Lake Bomoseen, as there’s no [reasonable] way to survey the entire lake bottom. See our page about the vegetation survey for more information.

We do know that there are some areas with minimal Eurasian watermilfoil this year that had milfoil in the past. Increases or decreases in presence and density do not seem to be uniform across the lake. The reasons for this variability are not known, but other lakes also report that milfoil presence and density changes from year-to-year.

We encourage you to explore other milfoil control options like DASH for areas around your property that have increased or are particularly bothersome.

I’ve heard that Lake Bomoseen is at a “tipping point.” If we don’t act fast, the lake will become a swamp and/or we will have increased problems with algae blooms.

There is no evidence that Lake Bomoseen is at a “tipping point.” Levels of phosphorus and chlorophyll-a and Secchi disk readings put Lake Bomoseen in the mesotrophic or oligotrophic state, far from the eutrophic state. Levels of spring phosphorus and chlorophyll-a and Secchi disk readings have been stable or trending away from the eutrophic state. By leaving the milfoil alone (or using non-chemical control methods like harvesting or DASH to control problem areas), we would expect levels and trends to continue as they have been. We have no idea what will happen if herbicides are applied; the application of herbicide will likely affect the water chemistry THIS could “tip” the lake in an undesirable direction.

Additionally, milfoil is currently competing with algae for nutrients and light. Removing too much milfoil could allow algae to grow unchecked, leading to algae blooms.

Please see our page on water quality for more information.

As an aside, eutrophication is a natural process. Shallow areas of the lake are expected to eventually fill in due to natural causes, but on a long time frame. We can slow down eutrophication by reducing run-off, protecting shorelines, and improving septic systems.

What’s the harm with trying ProcellaCOR EC on a small patch of milfoil to see how well it works?

First of all, because there are no long-term studies about the effects and safety of ProcellaCOR EC, we don’t know the harm. Even small treatments could affect the ecosystem, water quality, and human health. We have no way of knowing at this time.

Secondly, and more pressing right now, the Aquatic Nuisance Control Permit Application that the LBA/LBPT submitted to the DEC is NOT an application for a small-scale pilot project. The permit application—which is had a draft denial—calls for application of ProcellaCOR EC to ALL the estimated acreage of milfoil in Lake Bomoseen over three years. 621.6 acres. This is the largest treatment proposal the DEC has seen. The LBA/LBPT would have carte blanche to treat nearly the entire littoral zone with ProcellaCOR EC. The permit application also proposes the use of ProcellaCOR EC on a smaller scale from year “2025 on.”

The anti-herbicide people don’t know what they’re talking about and/or are trying to mislead the public. They use words like “poison,” “spray,” and “pesticide” to describe ProcellaCOR EC.

Depending on who is talking and who the audience is, people might use more or less technical terms. However, we always strive to provide factual information. Our goal is to educate ourselves and our community about Lake Bomoseen and ProcellaCOR EC, not to deceive people.

“Poison” is a non-technical term for a substance that kills, injures, or impairs an organism. By definition, ProcellaCOR EC is a poison.

Calling ProcellaCOR EC a “pesticide” rather than an “herbicide” is also correct. An herbicide is a particular type of pesticide designed to kill plants. Either word is acceptable.

We understand that the ProcellaCOR EC is injected into the water column, not dispensed above the lake. “Spray” is a non-technical term meaning to disperse a liquid into small drops.

The anti-herbicide group paid lobbyists and hired outside professionals to design this website to push through their agenda.

This group does have an agenda: to keep ProcellaCOR EC and other herbicides out of Lake Bomoseen. However, we are just an informal group of concerned citizens. Like the LBA and LBPT, we are all volunteers with varied backgrounds, knowledge, and skill sets. People in this group are donating their time and expertise to a cause that they believe in. Nobody has been paid or hired. The group collected money to pay for the costs of producing and distributing fliers and hosting this website, but the fliers and the website were created by local volunteers.

You are dismissing all the hard work that the LBA has done over the years.

We recognize that the LBA has done many good things over the years. For example, the greeter program that they run has been very important for educating people and keeping invasives out of the lake. (Many people in this informal group are current or former LBA members.) However, we strongly disagree with the LBA/LBPT’s current push to use ProcellaCOR EC in Lake Bomoseen and the way the situation has been handled.