Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury. Google Maps image.
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) oversees the industrial pretreatment program in coordination with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA requires DEC to publicly report significant non-compliance each year. Fulfilling its responsibility to keep the public informed, the department reports that 17 permittees were found to be in significant non-compliance during the 2024 reporting year.
“We view our industrial facilities as key partners in environmental stewardship,” said DEC Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “Fulfilling these permit requirements is how we work together to safeguard the health of Vermont’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
Industrial facilities such as breweries, dairy processing facilities, and metal finishers acquire pretreatment permits to discharge wastewater to municipal wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs). Permittees receive limits to prevent overloading or interference issues at the WWTF. To help safeguard the state’s public waters, permittees need to submit monthly reports, report non-compliance, and not exceed permit limits for pollutants.
Examples of pollutants include nutrients, heavy metals, and biochemical oxygen demand (a measure of how waste impacts a water body’s oxygen content).
Significant non-compliance can occur when facilities:
- Do not submit monthly reports or submit reports late,
- Do not submit other required documents,
- Discharge a pollutant that causes imminent risk to human health, or
- Discharge pollutants that exceed their permit limits.
“Proper pretreatment helps ensure safe discharges from wastewater treatment facilities into our waterways,” said Garrett Walsh with the DEC Wastewater Management Program. “Without timely and accurate reports, DEC cannot properly manage its pretreatment program.”
This list represents a historical snapshot of the 2024 timeframe; and may not be representative of the permittees’ current compliance status.
In 2024, these six permittees exceeded their permit limits and/or did not meet their monitoring requirements, and were found to be in significant non-compliance:
- Agri-Mark, Inc., Pretreatment Permit #3-0401, Middlebury, Addison County, VT, 14 violations
- Ben & Jerry’s, Pretreatment Permit #3-0404, Waterbury, Washington County, VT, 130 violations
- Butternut Mountain Farm, Pretreatment Permit #3-1578, Morrisville, Lamoille County, VT, 16 violations
- Commonwealth Dairy, LLC, Pretreatment Permit #3-1530, Brattleboro, Windham County, VT, 9 violations
- New England Precision, Pretreatment Permit #3-1576, Randolph, Orange County, VT, 68 violations
- St. Albans Creamery, LLC, Pretreatment Permit #3-1274, St. Albans, Franklin County, VT, 23 violations
In 2024, these 11 permittees did not submit their monthly reports or other required documents on time, and were found to be in significant non-compliance:
- Ben & Jerry’s, Pretreatment Permit #3-0404, Waterbury, Washington County, VT, 7 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- Drews, LLC, Pretreatment Permit #3-1561, Chester, Windsor County, VT, 5 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- Four Quarters Brewing, LLC, Pretreatment Permit #1569, Winooski, Chittenden County, VT, 3 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- G.S. Precision Coatings, Inc., Pretreatment Permit #3-1490, Brattleboro, Windham County, VT, did not submit 1 required document on time
- Lost Nation Brewery, Pretreatment Permit #3-1555, Morrisville, Lamoille County, VT, 5 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- New England Precision, Pretreatment Permit #3-1576, Randolph, Orange County, VT, 4 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- Plumrose USA, Inc., Pretreatment Permit #3-0399, Swanton, Franklin County, VT, 3 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- Randolph Landfill, Pretreatment Permit #3-1384, Randolph, Orange County, VT, 6 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- Rock Art Brewery, Pretreatment Permit #3-1497, Morrisville, Lamoille County, VT, 2 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
- Swan Valley Cheese of Vermont, Pretreatment Permit #3-1059, Swanton, Franklin County, VT, 4 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time, 3 other required documents not submitted on time
- Vermont Soy, LLC, Pretreatment Permit #3-1567, Hardwick, Caledonia County, VT, 5 monthly monitoring reports not submitted on time
In 2024, these two permittees did not follow their operation and maintenance requirements and did not notify DEC, and were found to be in significant non-compliance:
- Trapp Family Lodge, Inc, Pretreatment Permit #3-1548, Stowe, Lamoille County, VT, 1 violation
- ZG Holdings/DBA Zero Gravity Craft Brewery and PurposeEnergy, Inc., Pretreatment Permit #3-1434, South Burlington, Chittenden County, VT, 7 violations
DEC is committed to helping permittees navigate their requirements successfully. To that end, direct communication and responsiveness to permit-related questions is prioritized. When issues do arise, the goal is to provide clear, actionable guidance through DEC’s notification process – giving facilities the specific steps they need to correct the course immediately and avoid the need for further enforcement.
To learn more about significant non-compliance, visit the federal regulations and DEC’s procedure.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for protecting Vermont’s natural resources and safeguarding human health for the benefit of this and future generations. Visit dec.vermont.gov and follow the Department of Environmental Conservation on Facebook and Instagram.
12.12.2025. Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Montpelier, Website.
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