2026 Legislative Bills Update
Legislative Session Dates: 2026 – 2027
Legislature Veto Override Session: TBD
Compiled by the FOVLAP Legislative Committee
As of February 2, 2026
New Bills: H.722, H.731, H.778, H.805
Update: S.218 voted out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee Thursday, 1/22 and is now at the Senate Finance Committee.
Update: Pat Suozzi testified on S. 224 at the Senate Natural Resources Committee Friday, 1/23. Since then, Pat has heard that Chair Watson plans to take additional testimony on this bill through the week of Feb. 2nd.
Update: H.632 The House Environment Committee has been taking testimony and will continue to hear testimony this week.
Update: S.224, New draft of the bill is underway: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/agenda/2026/3203
HOUSE Bills (Active)
H.579 An act relating to establishing criteria for the application of alum to Vermont waters
Status: House 1/6/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit a person from discharging alum into a water of the State without first obtaining a permit from the Secretary of Natural Resources. The bill also would require the Secretary to adopt by rule permit criteria for the use of alum in lakes, ponds, and other waterbodies in the State.
H.632 An act relating to miscellaneous environmental amendments
Status: House 1/9/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to amend multiple environmental subjects. The bill would extend by a year the date by which an assessment of the end-of-life management of certain battery types shall be conducted and requires the battery stewardship organization in the State to complete the assessment instead of the Agency of Natural Resources. The bill would extend multiple deadline dates for reporting or rulemaking for specific flood safety, river corridor, wetlands, and dam programs. The bill would amend notice requirements regarding clean water service providers. In addition, the bill would amend the scope of the stream alteration program so that permits are required when an alteration would occur in any watercourse with a watershed area greater than 0.5 square miles at the location of the proposed alteration. The bill also would strike stormwater impact fees for parcels subject to the three-acre general permit for stormwater discharges. The bill would make multiple amendments to the State Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation permit program. In addition, the bill would allow an agency to adopt emergency rules if an amendment to a federal statute, rule, policy would materially conflict with or threaten the ability of a State agency to implement a statutory or regulatory program under Vermont law. The bill also would amend the eligibility requirements for the State emissions repair program.
H.652 An act relating to wastewater discharges from landfills
Status: House 1/13/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the discharge of leachate from a landfill or a solid waste management facility into the watershed of Lake Memphremagog regardless of whether the leachate has been treated or is untreated. The bill would prohibit both direct discharge from a landfill or a solid waste management facility and the transfer of the leachate to a wastewater treatment facility in the watershed of Lake Memphremagog for discharge.
H.722 An act relating to authorizing municipalities to regulate the surface water use of public waters used as drinking water supplies
Status: House 1/20/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize municipalities to adopt ordinances to regulate the surface water use of a public water used as a public drinking water supply, excluding any transboundary lake or pond.
H.731 An Act relating to the water quality of the State
Status: 1/21/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to codify the State antidegradation implementation policy in order to comply with federal law, protect the waters of the State, and prevent degradation of waters. The bill also establishes a new surface water classification system for inland lakes and ponds to ensure that management of those waters serves the public good by maximizing the functioning and health of littoral ecosystems.
H.778 An act relating to dam safety
Status: House 1/27/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the Division of Emergency Management to develop an emergency operations plan (EOP) for each dam with a population at risk of 100 or more persons in order to prepare emergency responders in the area of potential inundation from the dam. The bill also would clarify that the Governor or the Director of Emergency Management without municipal approval may require the evacuation of an area subject to inundation from a dam failure when there is dam failure or an imminent risk of failure. In addition, the bill would require the Division of Emergency Management to conduct a pilot project under which the Division develops EOPs for two State-owned high-hazard potential dams with populations at risk of 1,000 or more persons.
H.805 An act relating to water resources of the State
Status: House 1/28/2026 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize the Secretary of Natural Resources to issue general permits for stormwater discharges, wetlands activity, and wastewater systems and potable water supplies when the proposed activity will have a minor impact and a licensed engineer certifies that the proposed activity complies with the permit rules. The bill also would require the Secretary of Natural Resources to identify by rule criteria or technical standards for a potable water supply or wastewater system permit for an owner-occupied residence that shall be waived or reduced if the permit applicant can demonstrate alternative, engineered solutions that mitigate the possible harm from a failed wastewater system or potable water supply or the applicant files with the permit a statement assuming all liability for all damages incurred from the installation or failure of the wastewater system or potable water supply. In addition, the bill would require that a portion of a parcel owned by a resident of the State containing wetlands or Tier 3 lands be valued for taxation at the lesser of the fair market value of the portion of the parcel or of the use value of forest land.
SENATE Bills (Active)
S.165 An act relating to grand list values of parcels with wetlands
Status: Senate 1/6/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Finance
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require an assessing official to account for State laws regulating the use and development of land with wetlands when valuing a parcel for the grand list.
S.172 An act relating to requiring the use of personal flotation devices during cold weather
Status: Senate 1/6/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Transportation
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require all individuals on board a vessel between November 1 and May 1 to wear a personal flotation device.
S.212 An act relating to potable water supply and wastewater system connections
Status: Senate 1/7/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) to delegate to municipalities the permitting and technical review of potable water supply and wastewater system connections. The bill also would require ANR to adopt a general permit for municipal potable water supply and wastewater system connections that are reviewed by delegated municipalities.
S.216 An act relating to ecological restoration projects on waters of the State
Status: Senate 1/7/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill would require that the Secretary of Natural Resources adopt by rule on or before December 1, 2027, a general permit for ecological restoration projects for waters of the State. The bill also would require the Department of Environmental Conservation Dam Safety Program in coordination with stakeholders to examine the environmental review process required for a dam order needed for repair or rehabilitation of existing dams and consider what, and to what extent, other factors should be considered before a dam order for repair is granted.
S.218 An act relating to reducing chloride contamination of State waters
Status: Senate 1/7/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the Secretary of Natural Resources to establish the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program for the voluntary education, training, and certification of commercial salt applicators. A certified commercial salt applicator would have an affirmative defense against a claim for damages resulting from a hazard caused by snow or ice if the claimed damages were caused solely by snow or ice, and any failure or delay in removing or mitigating the hazard is the result of the certified commercial salt applicator’s implementation of the best management practices of the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) for the application of salt or salt alternatives. ANR also would be required to make the changes to the Vermont Local Roads curriculum needed to support municipal salt applicators, including training on best management practices for spreading salt or salt alternatives on roads, parking lots, and sidewalks. A municipal employee applying salt or salt alternatives would have an affirmative defense to claims for damages from a hazard caused by snow or ice if the municipal employee completed the municipal salt applicator curriculum, the claimed damages were caused solely by snow or ice, and any failure or delay in removing or mitigating the hazard is the result of the applicator’s implementation of the curriculum.
S. 223 An act relating to water quality of the waters of Vermont
Status: Senate 1/8/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create the Water Quality, Lake Classification, and Antidegradation Study Group for the purpose of reviewing and evaluating Vermont’s existing statutory and regulatory frameworks, policies, and procedures governing water quality and the classification of the waters of the State. The Study Group would recommend to the General Assembly whether the current regulatory framework for the waters of the State is adequate and whether legislative or policy changes are needed to strengthen environmental protection and other public interests in the waters of the State.
S. 224 An act relating to the management of the State’s lakes
Status: Senate 1/8/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require delegation to a municipality the authority to regulate the use of a public water used as a public water source by the municipality’s public water system if the municipality owns or controls all of the private land surrounding the public water. This bill also would require a person who owns or controls a wakeboat to identify a home lake in which the wakeboat shall operate for the calendar year. A wakeboat would be limited to operating in the home lake, unless the wakeboat is decontaminated prior to transfer to another lake or waterbody. In addition, the bill would clarify that aquatic nuisance inspection stations may use State fishing access areas in a manner consistent with federal regulations.
S.266 An act relating to the regulation of wetlands
Status: Senate 1/16/2026 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to amend requirements for the development of residential housing projects in wetlands in the State. The bill would authorize the Department of Environmental Conservation to adopt allowed uses for the construction of residential housing projects and necessary linear utilities related to the housing projects. No permit would be required for allowed uses adopted by the Department by rule. In addition, the bill would require the Secretary of Natural Resources to issue comprehensive guidance, with the input of wetland consultants and other stakeholders, regarding avoidance and minimization, mitigation sequencing, and alternatives analysis. The bill would also provide that avoidance and minimization or alternatives analysis required for a wetlands permit shall not require a permit applicant to consider properties that are not owned or controlled by the applicant.
