{"id":1478,"date":"2025-08-15T18:53:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T22:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1478"},"modified":"2025-08-15T18:53:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T22:53:23","slug":"dec-comments-deadline-aug-19-please-act-now-to-support-stronger-wakesports-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1478","title":{"rendered":"DEC Comments Deadline Aug 19\u2014Please Act Now to Support Stronger Wakesports Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Action Requested<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes (RWVL) supports most of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/documents\/Use_of_Public_Waters_Rules_Proposed_TrackChanges_with%20deconlanguageupdates.pdf\">DEC\u2019s proposed statewide UPW Wakesports Rule revisions<\/a>&nbsp;but urges additional improvements based on new safety and water quality data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We ask you to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Submit your own comments<\/strong>&nbsp;to the DEC supporting the DEC\u2019s rule change proposal while requesting stronger protections (see points below). Your comments need not be lengthy, e.g., 150-300 words.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>Feel free to modify what you submitted for last year\u2019s 2024 DEC UPW Wakesports Rule or for your December 2024 comments re. individual petitions.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To: ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subject:&nbsp;&nbsp;Wakesports (You <strong>must<\/strong> include \u201c<em>Wakesports<\/em>\u201d in the subject line.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Authorize RWVL to include your name<\/strong>&nbsp;in our group comment letter below by emailing permission to:&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:responsiblewakesvt@gmail.com\"><strong>responsiblewakesvt@gmail.com<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>RWVL\u2019s Group Comment Letter to ANR\/DEC<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"mailto:ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov\"><strong>ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov<\/strong><\/a><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>From: Responsible Lakes for Vermont Lakes (RWVL)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Subject:&nbsp;&nbsp;Comments on Proposed Changes to Wakesports Rules<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>RWVL applauds and strongly endorses much of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/documents\/Use_of_Public_Waters_Rules_Proposed_TrackChanges_with%20deconlanguageupdates.pdf\">DEC\u2019s recently proposed Vermont Use of Pubic Waters (UPW) Wakesports Rule<\/a>. However, we request that it be strengthened as discussed here.<\/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=\"518\" data-id=\"1479\" src=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Pre-Rulemaking-Topic-Comparison-Table_-DEC-vs-RWVL-1024x518.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1479\" srcset=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Pre-Rulemaking-Topic-Comparison-Table_-DEC-vs-RWVL-1024x518.png 1024w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Pre-Rulemaking-Topic-Comparison-Table_-DEC-vs-RWVL-300x152.png 300w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Pre-Rulemaking-Topic-Comparison-Table_-DEC-vs-RWVL-768x389.png 768w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Pre-Rulemaking-Topic-Comparison-Table_-DEC-vs-RWVL-1320x668.png 1320w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Pre-Rulemaking-Topic-Comparison-Table_-DEC-vs-RWVL.png 1356w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Definitional Criteria for Wakesports Zones<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Length:<\/strong>&nbsp;RWVL supports the required minimum of&nbsp;<strong>3,000 feet<\/strong>&nbsp;for wakesport runs.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wake boats need this distance to accelerate, raise\/tune waves, allow surfers to stabilize before dropping the rope, surf for ~1 minute, and then decelerate and return to pick up the surfer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3,000&nbsp;ft run is supported by the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/wsm\/lakes\/docs\/wakeboats_aug%202023%20public%20hearing.pdf\">Vermont DEC (2023)<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DEC_Oliver-Pierson-Slide-20-Aug-1-2023.png\">Slide 20<\/a>). This served as the basis for RWVL\u2019s website video, \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?page_id=27\">A Wake Surfing Session<\/a>,\u201d (bottom video on \u201cWake Sports\u201d page) along with information included from several supportive wakesports industry instructional materials (<a href=\"https:\/\/wakesurfvt.com\/faqs\/#:~:text=Unlike%20ocean%20surfing%20(where%20a,of%20the%20wave%20you%20ride\">Wakesurf Vermont<\/a>;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/WaterSkiing\/comments\/16o0etf\/super_newbie_how_long_is_your_set_wakeboarding\/\">Reddit, Inc. 2025<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Acreage:<\/strong>&nbsp;RWVL supports the increase from&nbsp;<strong>50 to 100 contiguous acres<\/strong>,&nbsp;<em><u>with at least&nbsp;<strong>700 ft from shore<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>30 ft depth<\/strong><\/u><\/em>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RWVL recommends a&nbsp;<strong>distance from shore of 700 ft<\/strong>&nbsp;based on 1.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.umn.edu\/items\/bd2d2968-21c4-4726-8a61-53e7daafcb56\">2022 SAFL study<\/a>&nbsp;(p 88); 2. <a href=\"https:\/\/vite.memphremagog.org\/files\/userfiles\/files\/Centre_de_documents\/FR\/Rapport-Vagues-Wakeboard-2014.pdf\">Univ Montreal Study 2014<\/a>; and 3)&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/wsm\/lakes\/docs\/RWVL_ANR%20Petition%20to%20Manage%20Wake%20Boats_Revised_6132022.pdf\">RWVL\u2019s 2022 ANR Wakesports Petition<\/a>&nbsp;(pp 17 &amp; 18) and the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Approval-Memo-Wakeboat-Rule-Modifications-from-Comments-for-LCAR13-1.pdf\">DEC staff\u2019s Sept 18, 2023 Memo to Sec. Julie Moore<\/a>. The staff recommended a 600 ft operating distance (575\u2013600 ft for wave energy\/power dissipation, but we strongly believe that an additional 15% distance is needed for future research, per the Precautionary Principle, defined below).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To accommodate a 700&nbsp;ft wake reach on each side over 3,000&nbsp;ft, a lake of ~100 acres is required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Depth:<\/strong>&nbsp;RWVL proposes increasing the minimum depth to&nbsp;<strong>30 ft<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Studies done by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/img1.wsimg.com\/blobby\/go\/85358067-828e-4c41-ad0f-54d479c3e5fb\/Final%20Report-%20Environmetal%20Threat%20Analysis%20.pdf\">Western Colorado University (2020)<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.umn.edu\/items\/6a47c506-6be5-4c8a-9a96-dfea38f23b2f\">University of Minnesota (2025)<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.warrenct.gov\/sites\/g\/files\/vyhlif3991\/f\/uploads\/lake_waramaug_final_report.pdf\">Terra Vigilis (2024)<\/a>recommend a depth&nbsp;<em>greater than 20 ft<\/em>&nbsp;to protect lake bottoms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A 30 ft depth takes into account the impacts from ever more powerful and heavier wake boats, changing weather patterns, and warmer temperatures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"530\" src=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tom-Wards-Fairlee-Photo-of-lake-activite-1024x530.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1343\" srcset=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tom-Wards-Fairlee-Photo-of-lake-activite-1024x530.png 1024w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tom-Wards-Fairlee-Photo-of-lake-activite-300x155.png 300w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tom-Wards-Fairlee-Photo-of-lake-activite-768x397.png 768w, http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tom-Wards-Fairlee-Photo-of-lake-activite.png 1286w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Safety Offsets from Other Users and Structures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RWVL supports an increase from the current&nbsp;<strong>200 ft<\/strong>&nbsp;but recommends&nbsp;<strong>700 ft<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Studies show wave dissipation requires &gt;575 ft (energy) and &gt;600 ft (power). 1.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.umn.edu\/items\/bd2d2968-21c4-4726-8a61-53e7daafcb56\">2022 SAFL study<\/a>&nbsp;( p 88); 2. <a href=\"https:\/\/vite.memphremagog.org\/files\/userfiles\/files\/Centre_de_documents\/FR\/Rapport-Vagues-Wakeboard-2014.pdf\">Univ Montreal Study 2014<\/a>; and 3)&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/wsm\/lakes\/docs\/RWVL_ANR%20Petition%20to%20Manage%20Wake%20Boats_Revised_6132022.pdf\">RWVL\u2019s 2022 ANR Wakesports Petition<\/a>&nbsp;(pp 17 &amp; 18).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>DEC staff recommended 600 ft in Sept. 2023.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>700 ft includes additional precautionary distance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Home Lake Rule<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Without a Home Lake Rule we recommend asking wake boat owners to commit to keeping their boats in a single lake per season.&nbsp; Require wake boats visiting a wakesports eligible lake to show proof of decontamination or guide them to local lakes without regulations, such as Lake Champlain or Lake Memphremagog.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AIS from ballast tanks is a documented threat; mitigation is costly, and eradication often impossible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A significant portion of AIS-related expenses, to protect a public good, becomes the responsibility of a small number of municipalities and lake associations.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Wake Boat Decontamination<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RWVL supports strict inspection and decontamination of all craft before lake entry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>RWVL concerns:<\/strong>&nbsp;DEC allows wake boats to enter Vermont waters with closed ballast tanks that&nbsp;<strong>cannot meet inspection requirements<\/strong>&nbsp;under&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.vermont.gov\/statutes\/section\/10\/050\/01454\"><em>10 V.S.A. \u00a7 1454<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;(Vermont\u2019s Aquatic Nuisance Control Act).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Act also requires:&nbsp;<em>\u201cA person operating a vessel shall drain the vessel, trailer, and other equipment of water in a manner to avoid a discharge to the water of the State.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;Common wakesport practice\u2014draining ballast tanks before leaving the lake\u2014conflicts with these requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Loon Nest Protection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Per&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/vtecostudies.org\/blog\/wakeboats-risks-loon-nests\/\">Vermont Center for Ecostudies expert statement on Aug 6, 2025<\/a>, RWVL supports an increase from the current&nbsp;<strong>300 ft<\/strong>&nbsp;but we recommends&nbsp;<strong>700 ft<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Loon nests are only 2\u20138 inches above water; wakes >2 inches can reach 500\u20131,000 ft. (1.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.umn.edu\/items\/bd2d2968-21c4-4726-8a61-53e7daafcb56\">2022 SAFL study<\/a>(p 88); 2.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/drive\/folders\/1sqo367dGv_QKchuhw8EqlxbxQg6YgbXx\">Univ Montreal Study 2014<\/a>; 3)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/wsm\/lakes\/docs\/RWVL_ANR%20Petition%20to%20Manage%20Wake%20Boats_Revised_6132022.pdf\">RWVL 2022 ANR Wakesports Petition<\/a>\u00a0(pp 17 &amp; 18); 4)\u00a0  <a href=\"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/?p=1123\">E. Hanson 2023<\/a>. Water clarity is a likely cause of population decline in common loons (<a href=\"https:\/\/esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/epdf\/10.1002\/ecy.4291\">Piper et al. 2024<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Wakesports Definition \u2013 Not a Normal Use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RWVL recommends amending the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/sites\/dec\/files\/documents\/Use_of_Public_Waters_Rules.pdf\">UPW Rules<\/a>&nbsp;to include a statement that wakesports are&nbsp;<strong>not a \u201cnormal use\u201d<\/strong>(this statement was made by DEC Commissioner Batchelder at the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/hKninyM6Zkg?si=c5IuPnlbpwPd00WT&amp;t=634\">Feb. 15, 2024 LCAR meeting<\/a>&nbsp;at minute 10:35).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We also recommend that non-normal uses may require management rules that differ from those that apply to normal uses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Precautionary Principle&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RWVL recommends not only including a description of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11673114\/\">Precautionary Principle<\/a>&nbsp;in UPW Rules but also using it to establish guidelines for all future UPW rulemaking.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recommended description for the Precautionary Principle: \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15968832\/\"><em>When\u00a0an\u00a0activity raises threats of harm to human health\u00a0or\u00a0the\u00a0environment,\u00a0precautionary\u00a0measures\u00a0should be\u00a0taken\u00a0even\u00a0if\u00a0some\u00a0cause-and-effect relationshipsare not fully established scientifically.<\/em><\/a>\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sincerely,<\/strong><br><em>Responsible Lakes for Vermont Lakes (RWVL)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jack Widness&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jim Lengel&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diane Lehder&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tom Ward<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christine Cano<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Holly Wall-Bull<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RWVL will add your name to this list of those supporting the above recommendations if you send your reques<\/strong>t <strong>to our email address:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:responsiblewakesvt@gmail.com\">responsiblewakesvt@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Action Requested Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes (RWVL) supports most of the&nbsp;DEC\u2019s proposed statewide UPW Wakesports Rule revisions&nbsp;but urges additional improvements based on new safety and water quality data. We ask you to: To: ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov &nbsp; Subject:&nbsp;&nbsp;Wakesports (You must include \u201cWakesports\u201d in the subject line.) RWVL\u2019s Group Comment Letter to ANR\/DEC To:&nbsp;ANR.WSMDLakes@vermont.gov From: Responsible Lakes [&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-1478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1478","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=1478"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1500,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1478\/revisions\/1500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/responsiblewakes.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}