After the devastating floods of 2023, and climate projections indicating worsening and more frequent future flooding, Vermont lawmakers were compelled to act. The Flood Safety Act (passed in 2024) is a huge step forward in protecting Vermont communities, infrastructure, and our environment.
The law implements state oversight to keep future development out of harm’s way in high-hazard river corridors, and allow space for our rivers to store and slow floodwaters.
The Flood Safety Act also establishes better protections for our vital wetland ecosystems, which naturally mitigate flood risks, through improved wetland mapping and reporting — and thorugh establishing a policy to reverse historic wetland loss by requiring a 2:1 net gain of wetlands through restoration, enhancement, or creation of wetland resources.
The law also improves dam safety by consolidating oversight and strengthening maintenance requirements for dam owners, while investing in the strategic removal of dams that exacerbate flooding and pose a risk to public safety.
