Bill
Bill > H0473
summary
Introduced
03/13/2025
03/13/2025
In Committee
03/13/2025
03/13/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Session
Bill Summary
This bill proposes to require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct a feasibility study of the reintroduction of the puma concolor, commonly referred to as the cougar or catamount, into the State of Vermont. The feasibility study would address how the catamount would be reintroduced, the locations in the State suitable for reintroduction, how to manage conflicts between humans and reintroduced catamount, a metric for determining success of reintroduction, an estimated timeline for reintroduction, and an estimated cost of reintroduction. The Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife would be required to submit the results of the feasibility study to the House Committee on Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on or before January 1, 2027.
AI Summary
This bill proposes to require the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on reintroducing catamounts (also known as cougars or mountain lions, scientifically named Puma concolor) to the state. The study would explore critical aspects of potential reintroduction, including suitable geographic locations within Vermont, strategies for managing potential human-wildlife conflicts, specific metrics to evaluate the success of the reintroduction effort, a projected timeline for implementation, and a detailed cost estimate. By January 1, 2027, the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife must submit the study's findings to the House Committee on Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy. Catamounts were historically native to Vermont but have been absent from the state for many decades, making this bill a potential step towards reestablishing a native predator species in the region's ecosystem.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment (on 03/13/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.473 |
| BillText | https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0473/H-0473%20As%20Introduced.pdf |
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