2025 Legislative Bills Update
Legislative Session Dates: 2025 – 2026
Legislature Veto Override Session: TBD
Compiled by the FOVLAP Legislative Committee
As of May 13, 2025
3 Bills added: H.231, H.319, H.507
Updates to: H.86, H.238, H.481, S.29
HOUSE Bills (Active)
H.86 An act relating to establishing the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program at the Agency of Natural Resources
Status: Rep. Chapin of East Montpelier moved to postpone action until 5/6/2025, which was agreed to on 5/2/25. House 4/24/2025 – Referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a). Kent Henderson testified in support of this bill as well as S.29 on behalf of FOVLAP on April 1, 2025. 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.
H.231 An act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes
Status: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on 3/21/25. Passed House, in Senate on 3/19/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to make several technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes. The bill would strike two definitions from the general definitions section of fish and wildlife statutes. The bill also would make technical changes to the uniform point system statute, including increasing the point penalty for snaring animals. The bill would also provide that certain use of public waters violations would be judicial bureau offenses.
H.236 An act relating to authorizing the use of State waters by hydroelectric generation facilities
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 2/18/25.
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.
H.238 An act relating to the phaseout of consumer products containing added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances
Status: Senate 3/19/2025 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Health and Welfare. Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 2/18/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to phase out and ultimately prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution for sale of consumer products containing added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The bill would authorize both the Secretary of Natural Resources and the Attorney General to enforce the requirements for consumer products containing PFAS, with the Attorney General enforcing under consumer protection laws. In addition, a consumer harmed by a consumer product containing PFAS would be authorized to bring a consumer protection action for damages.
H.240 An act relating to authorizing drawdown of dams during emergency flood events
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs on 2/18/25.
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.
H.283 An act relating to delegation of authority to regulate use of State waters
Status: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment on 2/19/25.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the Secretary of Natural Resources to delegate authority to regulate the use of State waters to a municipality when the municipality is adjacent to the water subject to delegation, the municipality requests the delegation to promote the public good by restricting or prohibiting wake boats on the water for which it is seeking delegation, and the municipality accepts the delegation by creating or amending a bylaw or ordinance for regulation of the water.
H.319 An act relating to miscellaneous environmental subjects
Status: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on 3/27/25. Passed House, in Senate on 3/25/25.
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 also clarifies when a fuel dealer can deliver to a category one tank that does not have a valid permit or otherwise may result in a release to the environment. The bill would provide that information submitted to the Department of Environmental Conservation under the Healthy Homes Initiative shall be considered confidential. In addition, the bill would extend multiple deadline dates for reporting or rulemaking for specific flood safety, river corridor, wetlands, and dam programs.
H.481 An act relating to stormwater Management
Status: Senate 4/24/2025 – Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31. Senate 3/28/2025 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy. Replaces S.24.
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 repeals the sunset of the clean water surcharge on the property transfer tax. The bill also would create the Study Committee on the Creation of Regional Stormwater Utility Districts to review the feasibility and benefit of creating regional stormwater utility districts to facilitate implementation and compliance with the water quality laws of 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.
H.507 An act relating to the regulation of development in wetlands
Status: House 4/17/2025 – Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment.
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to amend multiple provisions regarding the permitting of development in wetlands. The bill would amend the definition of a Class II wetland to provide that a Class II wetland is one that is not a Class I or Class III wetland and is mapped on the Vermont significant wetlands inventory maps or is an unmapped wetland that the Secretary of Natural Resources determines merits protection based on an evaluation of the functions and values. The bill would also amend the buffer zone requirements for a Class II wetland by providing that the buffer zone shall be 25 feet for a Class II wetland when the wetland is located in an industrial park, designated center, Tier 1A or Tier 1B area approved by the Land Use Review Board, or in locations meeting the requirements for an interim Act 250 permit exemption. The bill would also exempt from permitting any construction activity location in an unmapped Class II wetland when the wetland is located in an industrial park, designated center, Tier 1A or Tier 1B area approved by the Land Use Review Board, or in locations meeting the requirements for an interim Act 250 permit exemption. In addition, the bill would extend from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026 the deadline for the Secretary of Natural Resources to amend the Vermont Wetlands Rules to clarify that the goal of wetlands regulation and management in the State is a net gain of wetlands. The bill also would amend the ratio for restoration of adverse effects in a wetland from a ratio of 2:1 restoration to loss to a ratio of 1:1 restoration to loss when the adverse effect occurs in an industrial park, designated center, Tier 1A or Tier 1B area approved by the Land Use Review Board, or in locations meeting the requirements for an interim Act 250 permit exemption. The bill would require the Agency of Natural Resources to publish wetland guidance on the mitigation and compensation sequence contemplated in the Vermont Wetland Rules.
SENATE Bills (Active)
S.24 An act relating to stormwater management
Status: Moved to H.481. 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: Senate 3/12/2025 – Rules suspended & bill committed to Committee on Judiciary with the report of Committee on Natural Resources and Energy intact, on motion of Senator Hashim. Voted out of Senate Natural Committee and is now at the Senate Judiciary Committee. House Environment is holding hearings this week. Kent Henderson testified in support of this bill as well as H.86 on behalf of FOVLAP on April 1, 2025. 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.
S.100 An act relating to administration of the concentrated animal feeding operation water quality permit
Status: Senate 2/28/2025 – Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to clarify the authority of the Secretary of Natural Resources to regulate, permit, and enforce discharges of pollutants from concentrated animal feeding operations 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.
