2025 Legislative Bills Update
Legislative Session Dates: 2025 – 2026
Compiled by the FOVLAP Legislative Committee
As of February 12, 2025
HOUSE Bills (Active)
H.86 An act relating to establishing the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program at the Agency of Natural Resources
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 1/24/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the Secretary of Natural Resources to establish the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program to train commercial salt applicators and municipal salt applicators in best management practices to most efficiently apply salt or salt alternatives and to prevent salt or salt alternatives from entering the waters of the State. A certified commercial applicator shall be presumed to be in compliance with water quality laws when applying salt or salt alternatives according to the best management practices established by the Program.
H.113 An act relating to lakes in crisis and requirements for designation
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 1/28/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to declare Lake Memphremagog a lake in crisis and eliminate the criteria of declining real property value in the municipality in which the lake is located for the lake in crisis designation. An act relating to lakes in crisis and requirements for designation
FOVLAP Note: This is intended to declare Memphremagog as a lake in crisis and to eliminate the third of the three criteria for declaring a lake in crisis.
The three criteria are:
1) Lake or segment of the lake have been listed as impaired
2) Condition of lake is potential harm to public health and risk of damage to environment or natural resources
and the one this bill would eliminate:
3) Municipality has reduced property values due to condition of lake
H.142 An act relating to requiring inspection of wastewater systems
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 2/5/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the seller of real property served by a wastewater system to provide the buyer with a certificate of inspection issued within two years prior to the conveyance.
FOVLAP Note: This bill is under review and observation by FOVLAP. We have added to our posting for community members following water quality issues as a bill of interest.
H.146 An act relating to administration and enforcement of agricultural water quality requirements in the State
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 2/5/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to transfer from the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets to the Secretary of Natural Resources all authority to administer and enforce water quality requirements on farms in Vermont.
FOVLAP Note: This bill is under review and observation by FOVLAP. We have added to our posting for community members following water quality issues as a bill of interest.
H.162 An act relating to repealing the three-acre stormwater permit
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 2/7/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to repeal the statutory requirement for the Agency of Natural Resources to issue a permit for stormwater discharges from impervious surface of three or more acres in size when the stormwater discharge previously was not permitted or was permitted under the requirements of the 2002 Stormwater Management Manual.
H.187 An act relating to requiring the use of personal flotation devices during cold weather
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation on 2/11/25.
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.
SENATE Bills (Active)
S.24 An act relating to stormwater management
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on 1/23/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to amend requirements related to the permitting of stormwater systems in the State. The bill would extend the deadline by which owners of impervious surface subject to the three-acre impervious surface permit must complete permitting. The bill also would allow municipalities that assume full legal responsibility for a stormwater system to assess municipal impact fees on users of the stormwater system. In addition, the bill extends from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2036 the assessment of the 0.22 percent clean water surcharge on the property transfer tax. The bill also would establish the Local Community Implementation Special Fund to provide grants to municipalities to assist in the stormwater permitting of residential subdivisions or orphan systems in the State.
FOVLAP Note: This bill is under review and observation by FOVLAP. We have added to our posting for community members following water quality issues as a bill of interest.
S.29 An act relating to establishing the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program at the Agency of Natural Resources
Status: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on 1/29/25
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the Secretary of Natural Resources to establish the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program to train commercial salt applicators and municipal salt applicators in best management practices to most efficiently apply salt or salt alternatives and to prevent salt or salt alternatives from entering the waters of the State. A certified commercial applicator shall be presumed to be in compliance with water quality laws when applying salt or salt alternatives according to the best management practices established by the Program.
S.40 An act relating to authorizing drawdown of dams during emergency flood events
Status: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on 2/4/25
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize the Governor during a declared state of emergency to authorize the Agency of Natural Resources to waive applicable water quality permits or requirements to allow dams within the State to draw down water levels in anticipation of a flood event likely to cause substantial damage or injury to persons or property.
S.41 An act relating to authorizing the use of State waters by hydroelectric generation facilities
Status: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on 2/4/25
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize the use of Class B(2) waters in the State for use by a hydroelectric power generation facility with a proposed installed capacity of five megawatts or less. The bill would also direct the Secretary of Natural Resources to amend the Vermont Water Quality Standards to reflect the inclusion of hydroelectric power generation facilities with a proposed installed capacity of five megawatts or less as a suitable use of Class B(2) waters.
