Vermont Statutes Title 10 Sec. 1451
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 10 Sec. 1451
- Agency: means the Agency of Natural Resources. See
- Aquatic nuisance: means undesirable or excessive substances or populations that interfere with the recreational potential or aquatic habitat of a body of water, including rooted aquatic plants and animal and algal populations. See
- New aquatic species: means an aquatic species that was not known to occur in a surface water of Vermont or in a segment of Lake Champlain as of January 1, 2007. See
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
- Water resources: means the waters and the values inherent or potential in waters and their uses. See
§ 1451. Findings
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) It is the policy of the State of Vermont that the water resources of the State shall be protected, regulated, and where necessary controlled under the authority of the State in the public interest to promote the general welfare and to protect public health and the environment.
(2) It is the policy of the State of Vermont to prevent the infestation and proliferation of invasive species in the State that result in negative environmental impacts, including habitat loss and a reduction in native biodiversity along with adverse social and economic impacts and impacts to the public health and safety.
(3) The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation have established an informal working group to address invasive and noxious weeds, but additional authority is necessary for the Agency of Natural Resources to adequately respond to invasive aquatic nuisance species.
(4) The ability to initiate quickly a response to contain and control a new aquatic species introduction before it can spread is critical to reduce future management costs and protect the integrity of Vermont’s ecosystems.
(5) Infestations of new aquatic species must be detected early and acted upon swiftly to minimize economic, social, and ecological impacts as well as to increase the probability of a successful eradication effort. (Added 2009, No. 46, § 1, eff. July 1, 2010.)