Bill > S0290

This bill, effective July 1, 2026, mandates that the State of Vermont must ensure there is no net loss of State lands available for hunting or fishing. "State lands" are defined broadly to include lands owned or controlled by the Agency of Natural Resources and its departments. The Secretary of Natural Resources, which also encompasses the Commissioners of Fish and Wildlife, Environmental Conservation, and Forests, Parks and Recreation, is responsible for ensuring these lands remain open for hunting or fishing unless specific restrictions are necessary for wildlife management, public safety, or legal compliance. If any State lands used for hunting or fishing are closed, the Secretary must promptly acquire replacement acreage, ideally within 25 miles, to maintain the total amount of land available for these activities, and the replacement land must allow the same activities as the closed land. Furthermore, the Secretary must annually report to legislative committees on land closures, compensatory acquisitions, and the total acreage available for hunting and fishing.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/S.290