{"id":1419,"date":"2025-05-05T13:44:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T17:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1419"},"modified":"2025-05-05T14:52:46","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T18:52:46","slug":"responsible-wakes-takes-next-step-meeting-with-the-vermont-senate-legislature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1419","title":{"rendered":"Responsible Wakes Takes Next Step: Meeting with the Vermont Senate\u00a0Legislature"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With the 2025 summer boating season on the horizon, wake boating is back in the news \u2014 this time with the&nbsp;VT Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy&nbsp;hearing on \u201cWake Boats.\u201d The meeting&nbsp;will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, at&nbsp;10:00 AM. You may attend In person (Room 8, VT Statehouse) or via zoom (click&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpAxisSP5q5VadHDrMdMcyg\/featured\">HERE<\/a>) to connect via livestream 10-15 minutes before the meeting 10:00 AM start time.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"530\" data-id=\"1420\" src=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1024x530-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1420\" srcset=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1024x530-1.png 1024w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1024x530-1-300x155.png 300w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1024x530-1-768x398.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.vermont.gov\/committee\/agenda\/2026\/1993\">agenda<\/a>&nbsp;and order of speakers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>10:00 AM&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wake Boats<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bethany Sargent, Deputy Director, Watershed Management Division, Department of Environment\u00a0Conservation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laura Dlugolecki, Lake and Shoreland Permitting Analyst, Agency of Natural\u00a0Resources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>10:30 AM&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wake Boats<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>John Widness, Citizen and RWVL Member, Wilmington<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pat Suozzi, President, Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Steve Sease, Citizen, Montpelier<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Phil Dodd, Citizen, Montpelier<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chris Owen, Chair, Native Fish Coalition\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Richard Gagne, Citizen, Danville<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is what our&nbsp;RWVL group has submitted as an overview of our testimony:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>BOTTOM LINE<\/u><\/strong><strong>:&nbsp;&nbsp;VERMONT SHOULD PROHIBIT WAKESPORTS ON ALL ITS INLAND LAKES&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes (RWVL): 4+ Year Effort Toward Effective Wakesports Management<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RWVL formed in response to the growing threat wakesports pose to Vermont\u2019s inland lakes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submitted a formal petition to ANR in March 2022 after extensive research, public input, and stakeholder engagement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Participated actively in pre-rulemaking and rulemaking processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Found strong public support in public comments (82% of 759 comments favored wakesport regulation; &gt;1,000 RWVL Newsletter subscribers; and &gt;200 media articles (with &lt;5% opposed).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>April 15, 2024: Adoption of ANR\/DEC Use of Public Water Rule (<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/documents\/Use_of_Public_Waters_Rules.pdf\"><strong>UPW Rule<\/strong><\/a><strong>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wakesports restricted<\/strong>&nbsp;to zones of at least&nbsp;<strong>50 contiguous acres<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>500 ft from all shores<\/strong>, and&nbsp;<strong>20 ft deep<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Home Lake Rule<\/strong>: Requires wake boat owners to declare a single lake for the season and display a decal\u2014intended to reduce AIS spread via ballast tank water that&nbsp;<em>cannot<\/em>&nbsp;be emptied.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ANR confirmed during the February 2024&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8NhfkRu_8Hc&amp;t=1884s\">LCAR meetings<\/a>&nbsp;that the Home Lake Rule would be implemented in 2024.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RWVL supported the rule based on this assurance, despite these shortcomings in the Rule:\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No safety evaluation due to DEC resource limits.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Research and public input supported greater shoreline buffers (ideally &gt;1,000 ft).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inadequately addressed impact of \u201cnon-normal use\u201d wakesports vs. traditional \u201cnormal use\u201d recreation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lacked application of the&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC1446778\/#:~:text=The%20precautionary%20principle%20asserts%20that,resolved%20in%20favor%20of%20prevention.\">Precautionary Principle<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inadequate Funding of the ANR\/DEC\u2019s Wakesport UPW Rule has resulted in implementation Gaps &amp; Current Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Home Lake Rule not implemented<\/strong>&nbsp;in 2024; no certified wash stations, causing confusion for AIS greeters and concern among lake users.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DEC now plans to delay the Home Lake Rule again in 2025<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plans to&nbsp;<strong>reopen wakesports rulemaking<\/strong>&nbsp;with no defined timeline or scope.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DEC has failed to respond to&nbsp;<strong>10 lake-specific wakesport petitions<\/strong>, some pending over a year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RWVL\u2019s Recommendation: PROHIBIT WAKESPORTS ON ALL INLAND LAKES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Protects lake ecosystems<\/strong>&nbsp;and supports the vast majority of traditional lake users.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improves public safety<\/strong>&nbsp;by removing high-risk wakesport activity from smaller lakes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthens AIS prevention<\/strong>&nbsp;by defaulting to a \u201cuniversal\u201d Home Lake Rule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supports Vermont\u2019s tourist economy<\/strong>&nbsp;(see&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?page_id=30\">RWVL\u2019s and DEC\u2019s Economic Impact Analysis<\/a>)&nbsp;through:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reduced enforcement, volunteer, and lake association fundraising burden.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced environmental reputation for tourism.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintained or improved shoreline property values.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generated savings by wakesport prohibition, making much needed additional funds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;available to the ANR to protect Vermont\u2019s waters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Focuses the ANR in its state stewardship responsibilities<\/strong>&nbsp;of Vermont\u2019s inland lakes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the 2025 summer boating season on the horizon, wake boating is back in the news \u2014 this time with the&nbsp;VT Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy&nbsp;hearing on \u201cWake Boats.\u201d The meeting&nbsp;will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, at&nbsp;10:00 AM. You may attend In person (Room 8, VT Statehouse) or via zoom (click&nbsp;HERE) to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1419"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1429,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1419\/revisions\/1429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}