Use of Public Waters Rulemaking Update
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has entered the next stage of the formal rulemaking process by submitting the appropriate rulemaking documents to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR).
All rulemaking documents submitted for the filing with LCAR are posted to the Lakes and Ponds webpage and listed below: https://dec.vermont.gov/watershed/lakes-ponds/lakes-and-ponds-rulemaking
APA Filing Forms (LCAR Submission Documents)
Cover Letter for APA Filing Form submission to LCAR
ICAR Meeting minutes (12/08/2025)
Use of Public Waters Rules Amendments submitted to LCAR April 20, 2026 (annotated text)*
Use of Public Waters Rules Amendments submitted to LCAR April 20, 2026 (clean copy)
Rulemaking Responsiveness Summary
Written Comments received during rulemaking period
List of Wakesports Eligible Lakes under Proposed Amendments
*yellow highlighted sections indicate changes made in response to public comment period
Next Steps
The Agency anticipates that the proposed Use of Public Water Rules will be on the LCAR meeting agenda for May 14th, 2026. This date has not yet been confirmed. Keep an eye on the Lakes and Ponds Rulemaking webpage for LCAR meeting confirmation.
The Rulemaking process
- Pre-rulemaking: public meetings, comment period
- Submit proposed rulemaking to the Interagency Committee on Administrative Rules (ICAR)
- ICAR meeting and approval
- Rulemaking public meetings
- Rulemaking Comment Period
- Submit proposed rulemaking to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (ICAR)
- LCAR meeting and approval (Next Step)
- Rule adoption
