There is no denying it, these are all part of state government. The Department of Environmental Conservation, part of the Agency of Natural Resources, has long been a proponent of using assistance as an effective means of ensuring that people comply with the state's environmental regulations and permit requirements.
Assistance has many upsides when compared with the strictly regulatory approach.
It is less resource-intensive for both government and the regulated public than getting embroiled in enforcement. Although there will always be a time and a place where enforcement is necessary, the DEC continues to work on ways to improve the regulated public's rate of voluntary compliance. The program's goal is to help Vermont's small businesses in their efforts to understand and comply with the Vermont's environmental requirements. Questions may be asked anonymously if the business wishes. Helping businesses learn what regulations pertain to them is of course the first step in enabling them to comply with the requirements.