Statewide Clean Up Day: How you can help Vermont's most flood-stricken communities

Megan Stewart, Burlington Free Press
·5 min read
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On Saturday, Vermont will hold a statewide clean up day to support cities and towns hardest hit by the July floods as the state prepares to welcome back fall tourists.

Hosted by the nonprofit Green Up Vermont, the event will be in the same vein as the annual May Green Up Day − only this time, the point isn't to beautify the communities but to put them back together.

"The goal is to brighten up communities, finalize flood clean up, and keep Vermont clean and welcoming as we head into the fall months," Gov. Phil Scott said on his official Facebook page.

The Sucker Brook roars in Williston on July 16, 2023 following days of excessive rain and flooding that devastated may Vermont homes and businesses. This part of the Sucker Brook is typically a docile, trickling stream close to Williston area hiking.
The Sucker Brook roars in Williston on July 16, 2023 following days of excessive rain and flooding that devastated may Vermont homes and businesses. This part of the Sucker Brook is typically a docile, trickling stream close to Williston area hiking.

Among the many participating cities, towns and unincorporated areas are Andover, Barre, Duxbury, Jonesville, Grafton, Johnson, Ludlow, Montpelier, Morristown, Waterbury, Hardwick, Marshfield, Londonderry and Cambridge.

"Greening Up and volunteering in communities in need is an easy and wonderful way to support our environment while nurturing community cohesion,” said Kate Alberghini, Green Up Vermont's executive director, in an Aug. 15 press release. “I encourage all Vermonters to get out and lend a hand during Green Up events and every day in any way they can, and of course to please follow safety guidelines.”

To learn more about Recovery Clean Up Day, including how to participate, visit https://greenupvermont.org/flood-recovery-clean-up/. For updates on clean up day plans, download the Green Up Vermont application.

The time, place and scope of Cambridge, Hardwick, Johnson and Londonberry's clean up day projects have yet to be determined.

Andover

Litter is strewn along the banks of the Andover Branch, a stream near Middletown. Volunteers will pick up trash from Jarvis Road to Pettengill Road, only retrieving litter along the banks if the stream's current and water level are deemed safe.

Wear gloves, bug spray and rugged shoes that are fine to get wet.

Meet at 9 a.m. at Andover's town hall. Bags and light refreshments will be available. Depending on the number of volunteers, the clean-up effort should last two to three hours.

For more information, contact Deb Moser at dmoser6468@gmail.com or Jeanette Haight at clerk@vermontel.net or 802-875-2765.

Equipment clears mud from a neighborhood as flood waters block a street, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Barre, Vt. Following a storm that dumped nearly two months of rain in two days, Vermonters are cleaning up from the deluge of water.
Equipment clears mud from a neighborhood as flood waters block a street, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Barre, Vt. Following a storm that dumped nearly two months of rain in two days, Vermonters are cleaning up from the deluge of water.

Barre

Volunteers can pick up bags from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Barre Volunteer Hub at 6 Washington St. Full litter bags can be deposited in the dumpster behind City Hall. Stack any tires next to the dumpster.

Duxbury

The Bolton Dam near Duxbury needs serious attention, so clean-up efforts start 10 a.m. this Friday, with the potential for a second session on Saturday.

Volunteers should plan to meet at the Bolton Dam Public Access Area off River Road, the first right after Camel's Hump Road. The turn will be marked with an orange bag.

Bag and gloves will be available on site. Wear bug spray and boots.

Grafton

Bags and gloves can be picked up during regular business hours from now until Friday at the Grafton Town Office at 117 Main St.

Although no official start time on Saturday is listed, volunteers can drop off full bags in the Recovery Clean Up Dumpster at Town Highway Garage, located at 220 Bell Road.

For more information, contact Morgan Wilbur during regular business hours at townadmin@graftonvt.org or 802-843-2552.

Ludlow

Ludlow volunteers will meet at the Ludlow Community Center at 8:30 a.m. and head out at 9 a.m. to bag debris. A limited BBQ will be held at the community center at noon.

For more information, contact Nick Miele at 802-245-4944 or ludlowrecreation@tds.net.

The Pavilion building on State Street in Montpelier, which houses the Vermont Historical Society and state government offices, was still drying out on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, nearly six week after the July floods.
The Pavilion building on State Street in Montpelier, which houses the Vermont Historical Society and state government offices, was still drying out on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, nearly six week after the July floods.

Montpelier

Orange bags for litter collection can be picked up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Vermont College of Fine Arts green and at the volunteer hub between Shaw's Supermarket and art shop The Drawing Board.

Morristown − Oxbow Park

The clean-up effort in Morristown will occur at Oxbow Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bags and supplies will be on-site.

Volunteers should pack water, sturdy shoes, gloves, hand clippers and, if available, chainsaws. Avoid working near river banks if river is high and the current strong.

For more information, contact Tricia Follert at 802-279-2926.

Waterbury

Waterbury is dedicating its clean up day to beautifying the Dac Rowe Pavilion. Volunteers will remove silt and mud and pressure wash the pavilion slab.

Although a start time is still pending, interested parties can email greenup@greenupvermont.org for more information and to register for the event.

Marshfield

Volunteers will meet at the SchoolHouse Common on Saturday to pick up bags and gloves. A dumpster for debris will be available on-site.

The event's run time is still pending.

For more information, email Drew McNaughton at drewm@mpsvt.org.

A sewer pipe is exposed due to eroded land at the wastewater treatment plant following July flooding, Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, in Ludlow, Vt. Across the U.S., municipal water systems and sewage treatment plants are at increasing risk of damage from floods and sea-level rise brought on in part or even wholly by climate change. The storm that walloped Ludlow especially hard, damaging the picturesque ski town’s system for cleaning up sewage before it’s discharged into the Williams River.

Safety tips to remember

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has complied a list of safety tips to follow while volunteering in areas heavily devastated by last month's flood:

  • Wear resilient boots and gloves.

  • Wear N95 masks and eye protection in dusty areas.

  • Take care with household chemicals.

  • Keep materials away from kids and animals.

  • Place leaking items in pails.

  • Keep chemicals separate and do not dump them on the ground.

  • Do not fetch debris in high or fast-moving water.

  • Face traffic when volunteering on roadsides.

  • Wear bright colors.

  • Search for ticks after wandering through tall grass.

  • Place needles and sharps in thick plastic containers. Tape the containers shut and label them "Do Not Recycle" .

Congregation member Gayle McFarland, of Montpelier, Vt., collects sodden table cloths in the basement of Bethany Church, in downtown Montpelier, Thursday, July 13, 2023. In Vermont, communities were cleaning up Thursday from the floods that were more destructive in some places than 2011's Tropical Storm Irene.
Congregation member Gayle McFarland, of Montpelier, Vt., collects sodden table cloths in the basement of Bethany Church, in downtown Montpelier, Thursday, July 13, 2023. In Vermont, communities were cleaning up Thursday from the floods that were more destructive in some places than 2011's Tropical Storm Irene.

Do not dispose of these items in dumpsters:

  • "Dangerous wastes" like acids, ammo, drain cleaner, explosives, fireworks, flares, gasoline, oil, pesticides, pool chemicals, toxics and unprotected "sharps".

  • Hazardous waste.

  • Toxic car products like oil and brake cleaner.

  • Paint, varnish, stain and paint thinner or stripper.

  • Gas cylinders.

  • Tires.

  • Batteries and electronics.

  • Mercury products like thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent bulbs.

To learn more about how to safely volunteer this Saturday, read "Protect Yourself When Cleaning Up After Flood" from Vermont's Department of Health and "Flood Debris Clean Up Guidance" and "Solid Waste Management Entities" from Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources.

Contact the VT DEC Waste Management and Prevention Division at 802-828-1138 for more information about hazardous materials.

Megan Stewart is a government accountability reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at mstewartyounger@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont holds statewide flood clean up day to remove trash