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H.832
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Introduced by Committee on Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources
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Date:
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Subject: Fish and wildlife; access areas; nonmotorized vessels
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Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to authorize the commissioner of fish
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and wildlife to enter into agreements with landowners to allow the
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commissioner to build and maintain access areas for nonmotorized boats, and
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to appropriate $50,000.00 therefor.
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AN ACT RELATING TO ACCESS AREAS FOR NONMOTORIZED
BOATS
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It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
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Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 4145 is amended to read:
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§ 4145. ACCESS, LANDING AREA RULES
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(a) The board may adopt rules, under chapter 25 of Title 3, to regulate the
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use by the public of access areas, landing areas, parking areas or of other lands
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or waters acquired or maintained pursuant to section 4144 of this title. Such
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rules shall be posted in the areas affected and shall permit the launching of all
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vessels which have a Vermont registration certificate required by chapter 29 of
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Title 23 and the parking of vehicles and boat trailers used by these vessels.
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The rules shall not preclude the authorization to launch vessels not registered
VT LEG 120235.1
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in Vermont. These rules also shall permit the launching of all nonmotorized
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vessels not used for commercial purposes and the parking of vehicles and boat
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trailers used by these vessels.
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(b) The commissioner may enter into agreements with owners of land,
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which shall not involve payment to the landowner, in order to allow public
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access for launching of nonmotorized vessels in public waters. The
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commissioner may agree to upgrade the land area in a minor way; for example,
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the commissioner may agree to build a footpath to the water, build and
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maintain a small parking area, or perform minor grading to improve boat
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access. The commissioner may not agree to major upgrading, such as building
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a launching ramp or paving a parking area. A landowner who enters into an
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agreement under this subsection shall be afforded the landowner liability
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protections of section 5793 of Title 12. The commissioner shall post signs in
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these areas, inviting private contributions to the fish and wildlife fund for the
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purpose of building and maintaining nonmotorized vessel access areas, and
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shall issue to any person contributing, a sticker which may be placed on a
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vessel and which identifies the person as a contributor to the nonmotorized
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vessel access area program.
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(c) The commissioner shall keep account of funds, including private
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donations and state appropriations, which are deposited into the fish and
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wildlife fund for the purpose of building and maintaining access areas and
VT LEG 120235.1
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shall annually, on or before January 15, report to the committee on fish,
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wildlife and water resources, and to the senate and house committees on
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appropriations, concerning the use of those funds in the past year and plans for
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use of the funds for the coming year.
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Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION
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The amount of $50,000.00 is appropriated from the general fund to the fish
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and wildlife fund for the purpose of building and maintaining nonmotorized
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vessel access areas pursuant to 10 V.S.A. § 4145(b).
VT LEG 120235.1