Last week, the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR) approved the passing of 22-P24, the Agency of Natural Resources/Vermont Wetland Rules! VNRC’s Restoration Ecologist Karina Dailey testified in front of LCAR on January 19th in support of ANR’s Wetland Rules updates, whose purpose is to improve the Vermont’s wetland mapping to better identify, protect, and avoid unintentional impact to state wetlands, and in turn, provide Vermonters with more information to anticipate what permits are required for a project, while simultaneously providing more regulatory certainty for – and better protection of – wetlands. The wetland mapping updates will advance our statewide understanding as to the location, shape, and composition of wetlands, and their connectivity to other surface water features (including lakes, streams, and floodplains).   

In the face of climate change we need to invest in land management practices that improve flood resilience and provide clean water to communities. The Vermont Climate Action Plan emphasizes the important role wetlands play as sponge for floods, filter for pollutants, and biodiversity hot spots in a rapidly changing planet, and we need to amplify the importance of protecting intact wetlands, floodplains, and rivers systems for a healthy Vermont. We are grateful to our partners for supporting this important work!

Read VNRC’s and other partners comment letter on the Vermont Wetland Rule Change!

Click here for more information on wetland rulemaking in Vermont.