{"id":1473,"date":"2025-08-08T20:58:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T00:58:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1473"},"modified":"2025-08-08T20:58:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T00:58:20","slug":"call-to-action-time-to-share-your-comments-about-the-decs-new-proposed-revisions-to-the-use-of-public-waters-wakesports-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1473","title":{"rendered":"CALL TO ACTION: Time to Share Your Comments About the DEC\u2019s New Proposed Revisions to the Use of Public Waters Wakesports\u00a0Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With the July 30 and 31 Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) public meetings behind us, the deadline to submit your written comments \u2014&nbsp;4:30 pm Tuesday, August 19 \u2014&nbsp;is fast approaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help you do that, we have prepared a&nbsp;<strong>Comparison Table of Wakesports Rule Topics<\/strong>&nbsp;(click&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Comparison-Table-of-Wakesport-Rule-Topics_2024-vs-2025-vs-RWVL.png\"><strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a>) that summarizes the current wakesports rule and changes proposed by the DEC.&nbsp;&nbsp;The table also includes our Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes\u2019 (RWVL) stance on each rule change topic.&nbsp;&nbsp;We find much to support in the DEC\u2019s proposed changes and hope you will stand firm with RWVL in offering your support.&nbsp;&nbsp;We also hope you will support our recommendations for strengthening the rule.&nbsp;<\/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=\"369\" data-id=\"1475\" src=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RWVL-photo-Newport-DEC-mtg-2025.07.31-1024x369.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1475\" srcset=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RWVL-photo-Newport-DEC-mtg-2025.07.31-1024x369.png 1024w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RWVL-photo-Newport-DEC-mtg-2025.07.31-300x108.png 300w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RWVL-photo-Newport-DEC-mtg-2025.07.31-768x277.png 768w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/RWVL-photo-Newport-DEC-mtg-2025.07.31.png 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>RWVL file photo of the DEC\u2019s public pre-rulemaking meeting in Newport VT on July 31, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Two important topics:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>AIS\/Water Quality<\/strong>. One of our major concerns is the DEC\u2019s proposal to withdraw the Home Lake Rule, as it provides increased protection against the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in water discharged from wake boat ballast tanks.&nbsp;&nbsp;We feel strongly that without this protection, the DEC needs to make a significantly stronger effort in decontaminating wake boats than is currently proposed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Safety<\/strong>. On the other hand, the DEC took several steps to address the public\u2019s safety concerns \u2014 concerns that were ignored in the formulation of last year\u2019s&nbsp;&nbsp;UPW Wakesports Rule.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chief among these is the DEC\u2019s recommendation to expand the size of the wakesports zone from 50 to 100 acres, which would remove 12 lakes from the list of 30 where wakesports are permitted, a big win.&nbsp;&nbsp;In response, wake boat owners at the public hearings vociferously protested the change from 50- to 100-acres.<strong>&nbsp;We strongly support the 100-acres.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As Meg Handler, a member of RWVL\u2019s Leadership team, writes,&nbsp;<em>\u201cI think it\u2019s very important to stress SUPPORT for this [DEC proposed] rule. DEC will never ban wakesports. Therefore, we will never get what we truly want from them. This rule takes 12 lakes off the list. That is huge.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How you can help &nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To have the greatest impact in pressing our case, you should choose one or more of the topics you are most passionate about from the&nbsp;<strong>Comparison Table<\/strong>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>Your comments need not be long.<\/strong>&nbsp;Feel free to modify what you submitted for last year\u2019s 2024 DEC UPW Wakesports Rule or for your December 2024 comments on individual petitions. (Those prior comments will not be considered during this process.)&nbsp;&nbsp;Where possible, include a supporting story and\/or evidence to strengthen your statement.&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>Email your statement by 4:30 pm, August 19 to:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><em>The DEC<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em>&nbsp;Email comments with \u201cwakesports\u201d in the subject line to:&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Your local Vermont Senate and House Representatives<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em>&nbsp; Include that you are a \u201cconstituent\u201d or a \u201cproperty owner\u201d in the subject line You can find email addresses for your state legislators&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.vermont.gov\/people\/\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Your local news outlet<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em>&nbsp;Submit your comments as a letter to the editor or opinion piece.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>RWVL<\/em><\/strong>. We want to know what you care most about. Please copy us at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:responsiblewakesvt@gmail.com\">responsiblewakesvt@gmail.com<\/a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Click&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Informative-DEC-links-from-the-DEC-Rulemaking-website.pdf\"><strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;for DEC information and RWVL suggestions that will&nbsp;<em>greatly<\/em>&nbsp;help you compose your comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While August 19<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;is the end of the pre-rulemaking process, it will still be many months before new rules are finally adopted.&nbsp;&nbsp;The formal rulemaking process is scheduled for this fall, during which the public will again be given the opportunity to share comments at public hearings and submit written comments.&nbsp;&nbsp;The rules will also have to be presented to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR), the last step before adoption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We will continue to keep you informed on how this process is progressing and reach out with information on how you can participate.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the meantime, we encourage you to share this email with your family, friends, neighbors, and anyone else you know who loves Vermont\u2019s lakes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We thank all of you for your ongoing support during what has, at times, seemed like an endless journey.<s>&nbsp;<\/s>We ask that you continue to hang in there with us until our wakesports goals have been achieved.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the July 30 and 31 Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) public meetings behind us, the deadline to submit your written comments \u2014&nbsp;4:30 pm Tuesday, August 19 \u2014&nbsp;is fast approaching. To help you do that, we have prepared a&nbsp;Comparison Table of Wakesports Rule Topics&nbsp;(click&nbsp;HERE) that summarizes the current wakesports rule and changes proposed by the [&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-1473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473","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=1473"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1476,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473\/revisions\/1476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}