Vermont court ruling puts Lake Memphremagog protection back under scrutiny

A recent decision by the Vermont Superior Court’s Environmental Division has introduced a significant new step in the ongoing effort to regulate landfill leachate at the Coventry landfill, located at the headwaters of Lake Memphremagog. According to a municipal resolution template circulated in 2026, the court ruled that the landfill operator must obtain an amended Act 250 permit before converting its leachate pretreatment system into a permanent installation, opening the process to further environmental review and public scrutiny. The development comes amid decades of concern among Quebec municipalities, including Stanstead Township, which formally opposed any treatment of landfill leachate within the watershed in a November 2025 resolution. The lake supplies drinking water to tens of thousands of Eastern Townships residents, and municipal leaders, scientists, and environmental groups continue to monitor the issue closely.