VermontState sets general permit rules for water and wastewater connections
The state must set a general permit for water and wastewater connections, with lower fees for those permits, while other permit and delegation options are authorized.
What it does
The Secretary must adopt a general permit for water and wastewater connections to new or existing structures. The Secretary may give preference to applications certified by a licensed designer.
The Secretary may adopt general permits for certain subdivisions and lot boundary changes, and for small water or wastewater systems that do not need specified variances, studies, testing, or alternative technology.
General permits for water or wastewater connections have lower fees. The act also removes a fee cap for certain water and wastewater projects in designated areas.
The Secretary may give municipalities limited review authority for qualifying connections and may let public treatment plant owners regulate certain discharges, if EPA confirms the authority is allowed.
A state advisory committee must study when required separation distances reach onto neighboring property and report on the practice, possible alternatives, and ways to address disputes.
Argument forA general permit and lower fees could make common water and wastewater connections simpler and less costly for property owners.
Argument againstBroader general permits could make it harder to review unusual sites carefully, especially when a project does not need a variance or technical study.
More detail
The Secretary of Natural Resources must adopt a general permit for connections to new or existing buildings. The permit covers potable water and wastewater system connections to new or existing structures. The act has multiple effective dates beginning June 18, 2026; the summary does not specify the effective date for this requirement.
The Secretary may adopt general permits for specified land and system projects. The listed categories include certain subdivisions and boundary adjustments, plus small water and wastewater systems with design flows under 1,000 gallons per day. The act has multiple effective dates beginning June 18, 2026; the summary does not specify the effective date for this authority.
The act sets lower fees for connection permits and removes a fee cap in certain designated areas. The lower fees apply to general permits for potable water or wastewater connections. The repealed cap applied to water supply and wastewater system projects in certain designated areas; those areas are not identified in the summary. The act has multiple effective dates beginning June 18, 2026; the summary does not specify when these fee provisions take effect.
The Secretary may delegate limited technical review and treatment plant discharge oversight under stated conditions. The municipal delegation concerns technical review of qualifying connection projects. The other delegation concerns owners of publicly owned treatment works and discharges into those plants. A municipality's review role is limited to projects connecting to both municipal water and wastewater lines that the municipality owns and controls; municipal approval must include the Secretary's general permit requirements. Delegation of pretreatment discharge oversight depends on EPA notifying the Secretary that an earlier agreement allows it, and must follow federal law. The treatment plant delegation can occur only after the required EPA notice. The summary gives no specific date for either delegation authority.
The Technical Advisory Committee must report on rules that let water and wastewater separation distances reach onto neighboring land. The report must cover the technical and public health basis, environmental benefits, alternatives, data on how often the practice occurs, and steps to help resolve neighbor disputes. The committee must report to the General Assembly by January 15, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29Senate Message: Signed by Governor Phil Scott June 18, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 18, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 12, 2026To Governor
- May 26Senate Message: House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 26Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 26As passed by Senate and HouseMajor
- May 26House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 26House proposal of amendment; textMinor
- May 26Rules suspended & taken up for immediate consideration, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 26House proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 26Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 22House message: House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
- May 20Read third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 20Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- May 19Third Reading orderedMinor
- Vote recorded Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 69 of 137 to Pass -- Yeas = 63, Nays = 74. Result: fail.Lower
- May 19Report of Committee on Environment, as amended, agreed to
- May 19Rep. Greer of Bennington and Chapin of East Montpelier moved to amend the report of the Committee on Environment, as amended, which was agreed to
- May 19Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 69 of 137 to Pass -- Yeas = 63, Nays = 74
- May 19Rep. Nelson of Derby demanded yeas and nays
- May 19Rep. Tagliavia of Corinth, Greer of Bennington, and Lipsky of Stowe moved to amend the report of the Committee on Environment, as amended
- May 19Rep. Olson of Starksboro asked and was granted leave to withdraw amendment
- May 19Rep. Olson of Starksboro moved to amend the report of the Committee on Environment, as amended
- May 19Report of the Committee on Environment amended as recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means
- May 19Rep. Burkhardt of South Burlington recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means
- May 19Rep. North of Ferrisburgh reported for the Committee on Environment
- May 19Read second timeMinor
- May 19Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- May 18Action Calendar: Action postponed until May 18, 2026
- May 15Rep. North of Ferrisburgh moved to postpone action until May 18, 2026, which was agreed to
- May 15Action Calendar: Action postponed until May 15, 2026
- May 14Rep. North of Ferrisburgh moved to postpone action until May 15, 2026, which was agreed to
- May 14Action Calendar: Action postponed until May 14, 2026
- May 13Rep. North of Ferrisburgh moved to postpone action until May 14, 2026, which was agreed to
- May 13Action Calendar: Action postponed until May 13, 2026
- May 12Rep. North of Ferrisburgh moved to postpone action until May 13, 2026, which was agreed to
- May 12Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 8Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Apr 30Referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)
- Apr 30Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 18Read first time and referred to the Committee on EnvironmentMinor
- Mar 13Read 3rd time & passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 13New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 123rd reading ordered
- Mar 12Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy agreed to
- Mar 12Reported favorably by Senator Beck for Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 12Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Watson for Committee on Natural Resources and EnergyMinor
- Mar 12Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 12Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and EnergyMinor
- Mar 12New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 11Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 11Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 11Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and EnergyMinor
- Mar 11Entered on Notice Calendar
- Feb 10Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- Feb 10Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and EnergyMinor
- Feb 10Entered on Notice Calendar
- Jan 7Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and EnergyIntroduced
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