reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 83 - Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation › § 2674. Answer to Uniform Fire Prevention Ticket

§ 2674. Answer to Uniform Fire Prevention Ticket
(a) A person who is charged with committing a fire prevention offense may waive appearance and trial and plead guilty or nolo contendere or not guilty by a signed statement. The person shall submit a fine in an amount as established by the court with the signed statement. The court shall accept the signed statement accompanied by the fine assessed as a plea of guilty or nolo contendere as indicated on the signed statement and shall proceed accordingly.
(b) Fines shall be paid to, receipted by, and accounted for by the clerk as required by court rules. Any fire warden or issuing officer who issues a complaint shall advise the defendant of the fines.
(c) If a defendant fails to answer or appear as directed on the fire prevention ticket or by the Criminal Division of the Superior Court judge, or fails to pay the fine imposed after judgment, the court may issue an appropriate order. (Added 1987, No. 107, § 3; amended 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 238.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 83 - Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation › § 2675. Penalties

§ 2675. Penalties
A person who commits a violation under subsection 2645(a) or 2648(a) of this title shall be subject to a fine of not more than $75.00 per violation. In the case of a violation which continues after the issuance of a fire prevention complaint, each day’s continuance may be deemed a separate violation. (Added 1987, No. 107, § 3; amended 2011, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 83 - Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation › § 2681. Importation of firewood; protection from invasive pests

§ 2681. Importation of firewood; protection from invasive pests
(a) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
(2) “Department” means the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
(3) “Firewood” means untreated or treated wood processed for residential, recreational, or commercial use in any wood-burning appliance or fireplace, either indoor or outdoor, that is cut to a length less than 48 inches, either split or unsplit. “Firewood” shall not mean wood chips, wood pellets, pulpwood, logs 48 inches or more in length, or other wood sold or transported for manufacturing purposes.
(4) “Invasive species” means:
(A) nonnative plant pests that are capable of spreading into the State and that threaten forest health; and
(B) native plant pests, designated by the Commissioner, that are present in the State, that are capable of spreading to new areas of the State, and that threaten forest health.
(5) “Plant pests” shall be defined as in 6 V.S.A. § 1030(12).
(6) “Treated firewood” means firewood that has been processed and treated in a manner sufficient to prevent invasive species from surviving.
(7) “Untreated firewood” means firewood that is not treated firewood.
(b) Rulemaking. On or before July 1, 2015, the Commissioner, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets, shall adopt rules regulating the importation of untreated firewood into the State. The rules shall:
(1) address whether certain types of untreated firewood should be prohibited from importation due to the potential to spread invasive species;
(2) address whether a treatment certificate or some other form of approval shall be required to import firewood from one or more states;
(3) address whether persons who produce or sell firewood in the State shall be required to track purchases of untreated firewood from out of State in order to allow for identification of sources of invasive species;
(4) address whether the State should design and implement a voluntary certification for treated firewood;
(5) include a process under which the Commissioner may waive requirements or prohibitions under the rule related to the importation of firewood when the Commissioner determines that waiver is in the public interest and poses minimal threat to forest health; and
(6) address any other issue the Commissioner identifies as necessary for preventing the importation of invasive species into the State when importing firewood.
(c) Penalties. Any person who violates a provision of this subchapter or the rules adopted under this subchapter shall be subject to a civil citation under section 8019 of this title. (Added 2013, No. 112 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 85 - Value-Added Forestry and Forest Products › § 2701. Policy

§ 2701. Policy
It is the policy of the State to encourage the sustainable management and use of its forests and woodlands; to preserve the natural beauty of the State’s forests and woodlands; to protect its wildlife; to preserve and protect the forest environment and health; and to promote, foster, and encourage the forestry and forest products industries of the State. To achieve these goals, the General Assembly declares it to be in the best interests of the State to promote opportunities and markets for value-added forest products. Fostering and enhancing the value-added forestry markets will help the State retain and expand the State’s forest products manufacturing sector, will retain manufacturing jobs within the State, and will protect the health and viability of the forest environment. (Added 2007, No. 207 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. June 11, 2007.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 85 - Value-Added Forestry and Forest Products › § 2702. Value-added forest products; financial assistance

§ 2702. Value-added forest products; financial assistance
The Commissioner shall award grants of up to $10,000.00 to applicants engaged in adding value to forest products within the State. A grant awarded under this section may be used by the applicant to pay for expenses associated with State and local permit application costs, project consultation costs, engineering and siting costs, and expert witness analysis and testimony necessary for permitting. (Added 2019, No. 83, § 11.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 87 - Harvesting Guidelines and Procurement Standards › § 2750. Harvesting guidelines and procurement standards

§ 2750. Harvesting guidelines and procurement standards
(a) The Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation (the Commissioner) shall develop voluntary harvesting guidelines that may be used by private landowners to help ensure long-term forest health and sustainability. The Commissioner may also recommend monitoring regimes as part of these guidelines. In developing these guidelines, the Commissioner shall:
(1) provide widespread public notice of the process to develop the guidelines;
(2) provide opportunities for potentially affected individuals, business organizations, and members of the public to submit recommendations on the specific content of the guidelines prior to their development and to comment on a draft of the guidelines once the draft is developed;
(3) hold one or more public meetings; and
(4) maintain a web page concerning the development of these guidelines that provides notice of all opportunities for public comment and all public meetings on the guidelines and posts relevant information and the documents submitted to and created by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation as part of the process.
(b) For contracts to harvest wood products on State lands, the Commissioner shall ensure all such harvests are consistent with the purpose of the guidelines developed under subsection (a) of this section, with the objective being long-term forest health and sustainability in addition to other management objectives.
(c) The Commissioner shall develop a procurement standard that shall be used by all State agencies and departments in procuring wood products from whole-tree harvests in Vermont. The procurement standard shall include specifications on the retention of live and dead trees.
(d) The procurement standard developed under this section shall be made available to Vermont educational institutions and other users of wood products for their voluntary use.
(e) Working with regional governmental organizations such as the New England Governors’ Conference, Inc. and the Coalition of Northeastern Governors, the Commissioner shall seek to develop and implement regional voluntary harvesting guidelines and a model procurement standard that can be implemented regionwide, consistent with the application of the guidelines and standards developed under this section. (Added 2011, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 16a, eff. May 18, 2012; amended 2013, No. 24, § 1, eff. May 13, 2013.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 87 - Harvesting Guidelines and Procurement Standards › § 2751. Biomass renewability standards; RES

§ 2751. Biomass renewability standards; RES
(a) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
(2) “Distributed renewable generation” shall have the same meaning as in 30 V.S.A. § 8005.
(3) “Energy transformation project” shall have the same meaning as in 30 V.S.A. § 8002.
(4) “Renewability” means capable of being replaced by natural ecological processes or sound management practices.
(5) “RES” shall have the same meaning as in 30 V.S.A. § 8002.
(b) Rules. The Commissioner shall adopt rules that set renewability standards for forest products used to generate energy by distributed renewable generation and energy transformation projects within the RES. The Commissioner shall design the standards to ensure long-term forest health and sustainability. These standards may include minimum efficiency requirements for wood boilers and requirements for harvesting and procurement. In developing these rules, the Commissioner shall consider differentiating the standards by type of forest product and scale of forest product consumption. (Added 2015, No. 56, § 9.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 89 - Community Resiliency and Biodiversity Protection › § 2801. Definitions

§ 2801. Definitions
As used in this section:
(1) “Ecological reserve area” means an area having permanent protection from conversion and that is managed to maintain a natural state within which natural ecological processes and disturbance events are allowed to proceed with minimal interference.
(2) “Biodiversity conservation area” means an area having permanent protection from conversion for the majority of the area and that is managed for the primary goal of sustaining species or habitats. These areas may include regular, active interventions to address the needs of particular species or to maintain or restore habitats.
(3) “Natural resource management area” means an area having permanent protection from conversion for the majority of the area but that is subject to long-term, sustainable land management.
(4) “Conversion” means a fundamental change in natural ecosystem type or habitat, natural or undeveloped land cover type, or natural form and function of aquatic systems.
(5) “Sustainable land management” means the stewardship and use of forests and forestlands, grasslands, wetlands, riparian areas, and other lands, including the types of agricultural lands that support biodiversity, in a way, and at a rate, that maintains or restores their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality, and their potential to fulfill, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic, and social functions at local, State, and regional levels, and that does not degrade ecosystem function.
(6) “Conserved” means permanently protected and meeting the definition of ecological reserve area, biodiversity conservation area, or natural resource management area as defined in this section for purposes of meeting the 30 percent goal in subsection 2802(b) of this title. For purposes of meeting the 50 percent goal of subsection 2802(b) of this title, “conserved” primarily means permanently protected and meeting the definition of ecological reserve area, biodiversity conservation area, or natural resource management area as defined in this section, although other long-term land protection mechanisms and measures that achieve the goals of Vermont Conservation Design that are enforceable and accountable and that support an ecologically functional and connected landscape may be considered. (Added 2023, No. 59, § 3, eff. July 1, 2023.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 89 - Community Resiliency and Biodiversity Protection › § 2802. Conservation vision and goals

§ 2802. Conservation vision and goals
(a) The vision of the State of Vermont is to maintain an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity, maintains landscape connectivity, supports watershed health, promotes climate resilience, supports working farms and forests, provides opportunities for recreation and appreciation of the natural world, and supports the historic settlement pattern of compact villages surrounded by rural lands and natural areas.
(b) It is the goal of the State that 30 percent of Vermont’s total land area shall be conserved by 2030, and 50 percent of the State’s total land area shall be conserved by 2050. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall lead the effort in achieving these goals. The land conserved shall include State, federal, municipal, and private land.
(c) Reaching 30 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050 shall include a mix of ecological reserve areas, biodiversity conservation areas, and natural resource management areas. In order to support an ecologically functional and connected landscape with sustainable production of natural resources and recreational opportunities, the approximate percentages of each type of conservation category shall be guided by the principles of conservation science and the conservation targets within Vermont Conservation Design, prioritizing ecological reserve areas to protect highest priority natural communities and maintain or restore old forests. (Added 2023, No. 59, § 3, eff. July 1, 2023.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 89 - Community Resiliency and Biodiversity Protection › § 2804. Conservation plan

§ 2804. Conservation plan
(a) On or before December 31, 2025, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, in consultation with the Secretary, shall develop a plan to implement the conservation goals of Vermont Conservation Design and to meet the vision and goals established in section 2802 of this title. The plan shall be submitted for review to the House Committees on Environment and Energy and on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
(b) The plan shall include:
(1) a comprehensive strategy for achieving the vision and goals of section 2802 of this title while continuing to conserve and protect Vermont’s agricultural land, working forests, historic properties, recreational lands, and surface waters;
(2) the implementation methods for achieving the vision and goals of this chapter using Vermont Conservation Design as a guide;
(3) recommendations to provide and increase equitable access to protected and conserved lands and land-based enterprises, including recreational access to and use of conserved lands; and
(4) recommendations to implement the vision and goals of this chapter while also enhancing the State of Vermont’s current investments and commitments to working lands enterprises, rural landowners, and the broad conservation mission implemented by the Secretary and VHCB, including conservation of agricultural land, working forests, historic properties, recreational lands, and surface waters.
(c) In developing the plan, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, in consultation with the Secretary, shall hold 12 or more public meetings on the plan between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025 to solicit input from stakeholders. Stakeholders shall include private owners of forestlands and agricultural lands, land trusts, conservation organizations, environmental organizations, working lands enterprises, outdoor recreation groups and businesses, Indigenous groups and representatives from historically marginalized and disadvantaged communities, watershed groups, municipalities, regional planning commissions, conservation commissions, and relevant State and federal agencies. At least three of the meetings shall be designed to solicit comments from the general public.
(d) The conserved land inventory established in 2803 of this title shall be updated biennially to track progress toward meeting the vision and goals of this chapter, which shall be publicly available, and the Secretary shall submit a report to the relevant committees on or before January 15 following each update. (Added 2023, No. 59, § 3, eff. July 1, 2023.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4041. Department of Fish and Wildlife; Fish and Wildlife Board; members, term, chair

§ 4041. Department of Fish and Wildlife; Fish and Wildlife Board; members, term, chair
(a) There is hereby established a Department of Fish and Wildlife that shall be administered by the Commissioner.
(b) There is hereby established a Fish and Wildlife Board. The Board shall consist of 14 members, one from each county, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members of the Board shall be appointed for a term of six years, or unexpired portion thereof, and during their terms shall reside in the county from which they are appointed. In the event a member no longer resides in the county from which he or she was appointed, the Governor shall appoint a member from that county for the unexpired portion of the term. Appointments shall be made in such manner that either two or three terms shall expire each year. A member serving a full six-year term shall not be eligible for reappointment. The Governor shall biennially designate a chair. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1965, No. 22, eff. April 8, 1965; 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984; 1985, No. 215 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. June 2, 1986; 2003, No. 136 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 72.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4042. Commissioner; appointment

§ 4042. Commissioner; appointment
The Commissioner shall be appointed pursuant to the provisions of 3 V.S.A. § 2851. The Commissioner shall also be Executive Secretary of the Board. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1985, No. 215 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 2, 1986.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4045. Cooperative fisheries projects

§ 4045. Cooperative fisheries projects
The State of Vermont hereby assents to the provisions of the act of Congress entitled “An act to provide that the United States shall aid the states in fish restoration and management projects, and for other purposes,” approved August 9, 1950 (Public Law 681-81st Congress) and the Department of Fish and Wildlife is hereby authorized, empowered, and directed to perform such acts as may be necessary to the conduct and establishment of cooperative fisheries restoration project, as defined in said act of Congress, in compliance with said act and with rules and regulations promulgated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior thereunder. No funds accruing to the State of Vermont from fishing license fees shall be diverted for any other purpose than the administration of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4046. Cooperative wildlife projects

§ 4046. Cooperative wildlife projects
(a) The State of Vermont hereby assents to the provisions of the act of Congress entitled “An act to provide the United States shall aid the states in wildlife restoration projects, and for other purposes,” approved September 2, 1937 (Public Law, No. 415, 75th Congress), and the Secretary is hereby authorized, empowered, and directed to perform such acts as may be necessary to the conduct and establishment of cooperative wildlife restoration projects, as defined in said act of Congress, in compliance with said act and with rules and regulations promulgated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior thereunder; and no funds accruing to the State of Vermont from license fees paid by hunters shall be diverted for any other purpose than the administration of the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
(b) The Secretary may form cooperative agreements with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior under section 6(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Public Law 93-205, 16 U.S.C. § 1535(c), for the purpose of implementing chapter 123 of this title. Entry into any cooperative agreement shall not require the State to carry on any program in the event that federal funds are withdrawn or terminated.
(c) Any funds or in-kind services received by the State shall be administered by the Secretary. (Amended 1981, No. 188 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984; 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 3.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4047. Department of Fish and Wildlife funds

§ 4047. Department of Fish and Wildlife funds
(a) The receipts of the Department of Fish and Wildlife shall not become a part of the General Fund of the State but shall be used solely for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Interest on the cash balance of Department receipts shall likewise accrue to the Department.
(b) The State of Vermont assents to the provisions of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of September 2, 1937, as amended (16 U.S.C. §§ 669-669i) and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act of August 1950, as amended (16 U.S.C. §§ 777-777k) and diversion of license fees paid by hunters and anglers to purposes other than the administration of the Department of Fish and Wildlife is prohibited.
(c) Receipts for each fiscal year in excess of the amount appropriated for each fiscal year shall remain in the Fish and Wildlife Fund and be carried forward to the following year. If appropriations exceed receipts, the Commissioner of Finance and Management may anticipate receipts and issue warrants based thereon. With the approval of the Emergency Board, funds not to exceed $100,000.00 each fiscal year may be appropriated to the Department if needed for any emergency under the jurisdiction of the Board or Department that may occur during any fiscal year.
(d) With the approval of the Emergency Board, funds not to exceed $300,000.00 may be appropriated each fiscal year for the purpose of purchasing land to achieve the purposes of the Department. Such purchase(s) shall be in accordance with the provisions of this title. Each purchase shall be approved by the Emergency Board. These funds may be used in conjunction with funds provided by other State agencies, the federal government, or any provider or quasi-public entity.
(e) Receipts from tuition charged for attendance at Green Mountain Conservation Camps shall be deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Fund.
(f) A Species and Habitat Conservation Fund is created within the Fish and Wildlife Fund. The Commissioner may solicit federal funds, grants, and private contributions and may accept mitigation payments directed toward fish and wildlife species and habitat conservation. Such monies shall be deposited in the Species and Habitat Conservation Fund, and the Commissioner may make expenditures from the Fund for purposes of species and habitat conservation. Interest accrued on the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1983, No. 95, § 307; 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984; 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1993, No. 210 (Adj. Sess.), § 206; 1995, No. 5, § 43, eff. March 3, 1995; 1995, No. 178 (Adj. Sess.), § 385, eff. May 22, 1996; 1995, No. 186 (Adj. Sess.), § 18, eff. May 22, 1996; 1997, No. 2, § 73, eff. Feb. 12, 1997; 1997, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 40, eff. Jan. 1, 1999; 2003, No. 70 (Adj. Sess.), § 26, eff. March 1, 2004; 2003, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 46, eff. Aug. 20, 2004; 2007, No. 76, § 26; 2011, No. 128 (Adj. Sess.), § 26.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4047a. Raffles; Department authority

§ 4047a. Raffles; Department authority
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of 13 V.S.A. chapter 51, the Department may organize and execute raffles to dispose of property, and a person may participate in raffles executed by the Department, provided that the proceeds of raffles executed under this section shall be used solely to fund actions fulfilling or consistent with the purposes of the Department.
(b) All monies received by the Department under this section shall be deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Fund to be used for the purposes of that Fund. (Added 2013, No. 78, § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4048. Nongame Wildlife Account; expenditures

§ 4048. Nongame Wildlife Account; expenditures
(a) A Nongame Wildlife Account is created and shall consist of:
(1) funds appropriated by the General Assembly, subject to availability of funds generated pursuant to 32 V.S.A. § 5862a;
(2) funds from public and private sources that the Commissioner accepts for the Fund;
(3) funds from federal government aid for State activities in nongame conservation; and
(4) interest on the cash balance of the account.
(b) For purposes of this section, nongame wildlife shall consist of members of nongame species that are native to this State, that are not classified as domesticated, and that are not commonly taken for sport or profit.
(c) Amounts in the account shall carry over from year to year.
(d) The Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, according to the provisions of 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, shall adopt a rule establishing a plan for nongame wildlife. The rule may be amended from time to time, and shall be reviewed, after public hearings, at least every five years. The plan shall contain:
(1) strategies to manage, inventory, preserve, protect, perpetuate, and enhance all nongame wildlife in the State, including identification of wildlife species in need of protection and information on their population distributions, habitat requirements, limiting factors, and other pertinent biological and ecological data on nongame wildlife species in need of protection;
(2) estimates of resources available for these strategies; and
(3) plans for research and education in nongame wildlife.
(e) In accordance with the plan, the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife may make expenditures from the Nongame Wildlife Account. Expenditures shall be restricted to programs specified in the duly adopted plan. Expenditures may be made under the terms of contracts with private organizations and groups, consistent with the purposes of the plan. Expenditures shall not exceed the monies available in the Account.
(f) The Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife may take appropriate actions to encourage taxpayers to make designations to the Account, including explaining the purposes of the Fund and the uses to which the Account has been or will be applied. (Added 1985, No. 191 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. May 14, 1986; amended 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 5.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4049. Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund

§ 4049. Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund
(a) The General Assembly recognizes the importance to the people of Vermont of conserving Vermont’s fish and wildlife resources. Therefore, in order to provide the opportunity for Vermonters to invest in the future of its fish and wildlife resources, there is hereby created a Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund within the Fish and Wildlife Fund that shall consist of:
(1) receipts from sales of any lifetime licenses created pursuant to subsection 4279(f) of this title;
(2) any gifts, grants, or contributions made to the Trust Fund;
(3) funds that may be appropriated by the General Assembly.
(b) The Commissioner, after consultation with the Secretary of Natural Resources, the Secretary of Administration, and the State Treasurer, may determine whether the Trust Fund is to be managed by the State Treasurer or by a private firm contracted by the State Treasurer at the direction of the Commissioner.
(c) When the balance of the Trust Fund reaches $250,000.00, the Commissioner may withdraw interest as needed for operation of departmental programs. The principal shall remain in the Trust Fund in perpetuity, even should provisions of law regarding lifetime licenses be repealed.
(d) [Repealed.] (Added 1991, No. 205 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 1993; amended 1993, No. 191 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 2, 3; 1997, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 41, eff. April 27, 1998; 1997, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 41, eff. Jan. 1, 1999.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4049a. Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund

§ 4049a. Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund
(a) There is established in the Agency of Natural Resources a fund to be known as the Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund, to be managed by the Secretary and from which expenditures may be made by the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, after consultation with the Green Mountain Conservation Camp Fund Committee, for the purpose of supporting the maintenance of and enhancements to the Green Mountain Conservation Camps in Castleton and Woodbury and for the Camps’ ongoing expenses such as the purchase of recreation equipment. There shall be deposited into the Fund monies received by the Agency and designated for this purpose, including appropriations of the General Assembly, grants, and donations.
(b) Interest from the Fund shall be credited annually to the Fund, and the amount in the account shall carry forward from year to year. (Added 2003, No. 63, § 64, eff. June 11, 2003; amended 2005, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), § 86, eff. March 3, 2006.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4049b. Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund Committee

§ 4049b. Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund Committee
(a) There is created a Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund Committee comprising five members who shall serve for concurrent terms of four years. Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife as follows: two members shall be chosen from the employees of the Department; the three other members shall be chosen on the basis of fundraising experience.
(b) The Committee shall promote and seek contributions to the Green Mountain Conservation Camp Endowment Fund established by section 4049a of this title. The Committee may use any technique, method, or service that is otherwise authorized by law to promote contributions to the Fund and may use a portion of the Endowment Fund for the purpose.
(c) [Repealed.] (Added 2003, No. 63, § 65, eff. June 11, 2003; amended 2005, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), § 87, eff. March 3, 2006; 2009, No. 33, § 83(e)(4).)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4050. Watershed Management Account

§ 4050. Watershed Management Account
(a) There is created a Watershed Management Account within the Fish and Wildlife Fund for the purpose of protecting the Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog, and Connecticut River and Hudson River watersheds. The Account shall consist of:
(1) receipts from sale of conservation motor vehicle registration plates pursuant to 23 V.S.A. § 304b;
(2) any gifts, grants, or contributions made to the account;
(3) funds that may be appropriated by the General Assembly.
(b) Interest from the Account shall be credited annually to the Watershed Management Account and the amount in the Account shall carry over from year to year.
(c) The Commissioner may make expenditures from the Account in the form of grants to local or regional governments or governmental agencies, or nonprofit or citizen groups for the following purposes:
(1) protection of fish and wildlife habitats;
(2) improvement of water quality and protection of shorelines;
(3) provision of recreational access and trails within the watershed areas;
(4) identifying and protecting historic and cultural resources in the watershed areas;
(5) activities that educate people about watershed resources and protection and that encourage citizen participation in protecting watershed resources;
(6) monitoring of fish and wildlife populations of watershed resources and water quality.
(d) [Repealed.] (Added 1995, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 15, eff. May 22, 1996; amended 2009, No. 33, § 83(e)(5).)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4083. Fish

§ 4083. Fish
Any rule or amendment to a rule adopted pursuant to this subchapter that relates to fish may apply to all or any portion of the State and may address any or all of the following as to any species or varieties of fish:
(1) establish, extend, shorten, or abolish open seasons and closed seasons;
(2) establish, change, or abolish daily limits, season limits, possession limits, and size limits;
(3) establish and change territorial limits for the pursuit, taking, or killing of any species or varieties, and close or open lakes, streams, or parts thereof;
(4) prescribe the manner and the means of pursuing, taking, or killing any species or variety, including the prescribing of type or kinds of bait, lures, tackle, equipment, traps, or any other means or devices for taking such fish;
(5) prescribe such rules relating to transportation and exportation of fish as may be necessary for the enforcement of this part;
(6) establish rules regarding the purchase and sale of fish caught in Vermont, including prohibiting the sale of specified fish, seasons, limits, reporting requirements, and the manner and means of pursuing or taking fish, in accordance with the requirements of part 4 of this title. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 2015, No. 145 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; 2017, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), § 44f.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4084. Game

§ 4084. Game
(a) Rules concerning wild game may:
(1) establish open seasons; however, rules regarding taking of deer adopted under this subdivision shall, unless there is a scientific reason not to do so, make provision for a regular rifle hunting season of no fewer than 16 consecutive days, an archery season, and a muzzle loader season;
(2) establish daily, season, and possession limits;
(3) establish territorial limits for any rule under this subchapter;
(4) prescribe the manner and means of taking any species or variety, and including reporting and tagging of game;
(5) establish restrictions on taking based upon sex, maturity, or other physical distinction of the species or variety pursued; and
(6) designate Wildlife Management Units for various species or varieties.
(b)(1) On or before July 1 of each year, the Commissioner shall publish a report showing all the Wildlife Management Units and proposed deer seasons. The reports shall include supporting data for the proposed actions.
(2) Each January, the Commissioner shall publish an annual deer report.
(c) The Board may alter the outer boundary of a Wildlife Management Unit no more frequently than every 10 years without approval of the General Assembly; however, the Board shall have authority to subdivide established Wildlife Management Units.
(d), (e) [Repealed.] (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1979, No. 68, § 3, eff. May 8, 1979; 1979, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 24, 1980; 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984; 1985, No. 29, §§ 1, 2; 1985, No. 120 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 16, 1986; 1987, No. 10, § 1; 1989, No. 24, § 2; 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 1997, No. 99 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2003, No. 136 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2013, No. 78, § 4; 2013, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. Jan. 1, 2015.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4132. General duties of Commissioner

§ 4132. General duties of Commissioner
(a) The Commissioner shall have charge of the enforcement of the provisions of this part.
(b) The Commissioner may publish such bulletins as he or she deems advisable for information and instruction concerning the work of the Department and shall keep an account of the business and proceedings of the Department. Any publication available to the general public that describes rules regarding boating and fishing shall include information about aquatic nuisances provided to the Commissioner.
(c) The Commissioner may confer with the fish and wildlife directors or commissioners of other states and Canada.
(d) The Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife may develop promotional programs to include the sale of promotional items at a reasonable profit, to promote hunting, fishing, and trapping and the use of wildlife management areas. Proceeds from the sale of promotional items shall be deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Fund.
(e) The Commissioner, subject to the direction and approval of the Secretary, shall adopt and publish rules in the name of the Agency for reasonable fees or charges for the use of the lands, roads, buildings, other property, and the use of and tuition for the Green Mountain Conservation Camps, notwithstanding 32 V.S.A. § 603. Fees collected for the use of fish and wildlife lands and properties shall be deposited in the Fish and Wildlife Fund.
(f) The Commissioner may collect data, conduct scientific research, and contract with qualified consultants for the purposes of managing fish and wildlife in the State and achieving the requirements and policies of this part. The Commissioner may designate as confidential any records produced or acquired by Department staff or contractors in the conduct of a study of or research related to fish, wildlife, wild plants, or the habitat of fish, wildlife, or wild plants, if release of the records would present a threat of harm to a species or the habitat of a species. Records designated as confidential under this subsection shall be exempt from inspection and copying under the Public Records Act. Records of Department staff or contractors that are not designated as confidential under this subsection shall be available for inspection and copying under the Public Records Act. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 2003, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 68, eff. June 8, 2004; 2003, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; 2005, No. 72, § 10; 2007, No. 76, § 26a; 2015, No. 97 (Adj. Sess.), § 24; 2017, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4135. Finances, accounts

§ 4135. Finances, accounts
(a) All monies received by the Commissioner shall be deposited into the State Treasury and credited to the Fish and Wildlife Fund.
(b) All payments by the Commissioner from the Fish and Wildlife Fund shall be disbursed from the State Treasury only upon warrants issued by the Commissioner of Finance and Management, after receipt of proper documentation regarding services rendered and expenses incurred. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1983, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 5(b); 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 9.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4136. Propagation and distribution of fish and wild animals

§ 4136. Propagation and distribution of fish and wild animals
The Commissioner shall have charge of the propagation and distribution of fish and wild animals, and shall provide for the construction, maintenance, and operation of fish culture facilities, fishways, screens, and weirs. The Commissioner may introduce fish into waters that are not private preserves. The Commissioner may take and transport fish and wild animals at such times and in such manner as she or he deems proper for the artificial propagation thereof, for scientific purposes, and for the proper management of lands owned by the State and controlled by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Commissioner may sell, exchange, or dispose at any time of such fish and wild animals as she or he deems for the best interest of the State. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.); 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 10.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4137. Taking by U.S. Armed Forces

§ 4137. Taking by U.S. Armed Forces
The Commissioner may, upon request of appropriate authorities, permit the taking of fish and wild animals in such manner as he or she shall specify by designated units of the U.S. Armed Forces while undergoing maneuvers of the type known as “survival tests.” (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4138. Control of fish, game; powers of Commissioner

§ 4138. Control of fish, game; powers of Commissioner
(a) The Commissioner may take, permit, or cause to be taken at any time from any waters, and in any manner, fish that hinder or prevent the propagation of game or food fish and may take, permit, or cause to be taken at any time wild animals that are doing damage. Such removal or taking and the possession and disposition of such fish or wild animals shall be under such regulations as the Commissioner may prescribe.
(b) The Commissioner may take necessary measures to control, in public waters, aquatic vegetation, insects, or aquatic life, for the purpose of improving such waters as a habitat.
(c) Any measures that involve temporary pollution of waters shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of chapter 50, section 1455 of this title.
(d) The Commissioner shall cooperate with the Transportation Board in any proceeding brought under 19 V.S.A. § 37 to protect a highway, railroad, or public airport from impoundments of water created by beaver. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1981, No. 222 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 1991, No. 134 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 17, 1992; 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 11.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4139. Closed waters by agreement with owners of land

§ 4139. Closed waters by agreement with owners of land
The Commissioner, by agreement with the owners of lands through which private waters flow or in which private waters lie, the same not being boatable waters, may close such waters, or parts thereof, against fishing, and such waters while closed shall be considered closed waters. In the name of the State, the Commissioner may receive from the owners of such lands such deeds or writings as are necessary for this purpose. Such waters shall not thereafter during the term for which they are closed be included in private preserves or propagation farms. Notice that such waters are closed shall be given by notices posted conspicuously upon the banks or shores of such waters. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4140. Closing waters during spawning

§ 4140. Closing waters during spawning
Not less than 10 days prior to and continuing 10 days after the usual spawning periods of any species of game or food fish, the Commissioner may close portions of waters where such species congregate preparatory to or during the spawning season. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4141. Public and private waters, powers as to; private preserve or propagation farm, filing notice of intent

§ 4141. Public and private waters, powers as to; private preserve or propagation farm, filing notice of intent
Waters, except closed waters, stocked by the Commissioner, thereafter shall be treated as public waters, but he or she may prohibit fishing therein for a period of not exceeding five years and notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided in section 4139 of this title. A person who might otherwise make the same a private preserve or propagation farm may do so at the expiration of five years from the date of filing with the Commissioner a written notice of such intent. Such notice shall contain a description of the waters, or part thereof, intended to be made a private preserve or propagation farm and shall be kept on file by the Commissioner. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4142. Test waters; notices

§ 4142. Test waters; notices
(a) For the purpose of securing data relative to the propagation of fish, the Commissioner may designate as test waters streams and ponds within the State. He or she shall cause notices of the designation of any pond or stream as a test water to be published in a newspaper circulating in the vicinity thereof at least three times not more than 30 nor less than five days before the effective date of such designation and to be posted conspicuously on the banks or shores of such waters. Such notices shall state the dates between which such waters are designated as test waters and shall contain such portions of the laws relating to test waters as may be desirable to inform the public of the restrictions thereon.
(b) Fishing in such test waters shall be in accordance with regulations of the Commissioner.
(c) [Repealed.] (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1963, No. 14, eff. March 19, 1963; 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 12.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 10 - Conservation and Development › Chapter 103 - Department of Fish and Wildlife › § 4143. Power to sell fish for stocking, other purposes

§ 4143. Power to sell fish for stocking, other purposes
(a) The Commissioner may sell fish fry, fingerlings, and adult trout to residents of this State for the purpose of stocking waters in the State and he or she may sell to residents fish reared by the State. Such fish shall be sold at a price sufficient to return the State a reasonable profit. The Commissioner shall keep an itemized account of such sales.
(b) A person shall not make other use of such fish fry or fingerlings than is represented in the application therefor or is prescribed by the Commissioner, or make a false statement in such application. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 2011, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. May 14, 2012.)