House Committee on Environment (Room EA)

The House Committee on Environment considers matters related to conservation and development; climate change mitigation; land resources, air, water, fish, and wildlife; solid waste management; and other similar policies.

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

House Floor

10:30 AM

Overview and Discussion

Overview of Water Quality Law and Impending Issues

• Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

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Lunch

1:00 PM

Introduction

Introduction to VLT

• Abby White, Vice President of Engagement, Vermont Land Trust
  

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

House Floor & Trainings

-

Lunch

1:00 PM

Act 64 Clean Water Oversight

• Jason Batchelder, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Neil Kamman, Director, Water Investment Division, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Peter LaFlamme, Director, Watershed Management Division, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Julie Moore, Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources
  

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Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Biodiversity and Ecological Integrity

• Gustave Goodwin, Senior Conservation Planner and Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy in Vermont
  

10:15 AM

Act 64 Clean Water Oversight

History of the Clean Water Act, High Points of Act 64

• Jon Groveman, Policy and Water Program Director, Vermont Natural Resources Council
  

11:15 AM

Legislative Counsel Introduction

• Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

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Lunch

1:00 PM

Introduction to Vermont Land Trust

• Pieter Vanloon, Forest Program Director, Vermont Land Trust
  
• Abby White, Vice President of Engagement, Vermont Land Trust
  

2:00 PM

Global Warming Solutions Act (Act 153 of 2020): Review

The House Committee on Environment will be joining House Committee on Technology and Digital Infrastructure's meeting remotely. This segment will be streamed here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-energy-and-digital-infrastructure

• Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Act 64 Clean Water Oversight

Status of Lake Champlain TMDL and Clean Water Fund

• Jared Carpenter, Water Protection Advocate, Lake Champlain Committee
  

10:00 AM

Introduction

Introduction to Serve Learn Earn

• Kate Gluckman, Director, Serve Learn Earn
  
• Breck Knauft, Executive Director, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
  

11:00 AM

Act 64 Clean Water Oversight

Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

• Steve Collier, General Counsel, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Laura DiPietro, Water Quality Division Director, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Nina Gage, Assistant Director, Water Quality Division, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

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Lunch

2:00 PM

Background

Act 59 Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection

• Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

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Friday, January 17, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

House Floor

10:30 AM

Introduction

Introduction to VPIRG

• Paul Burns, Executive Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
  
• Anna Seuberling, Environmental Advocate, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
  

11:15 AM

Introduction

Introduction to VAPDA

• Charlie Baker, Executive Director, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
  
• Catherine Dimitruk, Chair, Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies
  

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Lunch

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

House Floor & Caucuses

-

Lunch

1:00 PM

Act 64 Clean Water Oversight

CLF, VNRC, and LCC's Clean Water Act Withdrawal Petition and EPA's Response

• Scott Sanderson, Manager of Farm and Food, Conservation Law Foundation
  

2:00 PM

Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee

2025 Lake Champlain Action Plan

• Breck Bowden, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee
  
• Karina Dailey, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee
  
• Bob Fischer, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee
  
• Andrew Milliken, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee
  
• Denise Smith, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee Chair
  
• Hilary Solomon, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee
  

2:30 AM

Clean Water Initiatives

Vermont Clean Water Initiative 2024 Performance Report

• Emily Bird, Program Manager, Clean Water Initiative, Department of Environmental Conservation, Agency of Natural Resources
  
• Claire Madden, Clean Water Initiative Program Tracking & Accounting Supervisor, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Julie Moore, Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources
  

3:30 PM

Public Trust Discussion

• Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Clean Water Oversight

PFAS Overview and Act 131 of 2024 PFAS in Consumer Products Report

• Matt Chapman, Director of Waste Management & Prevention Division, Department of Environmental Conservation
  

10:00 AM

Clean Water Oversight

3 Acre Storm Water Rule Background and Implementation Timeline

• Neil Kamman, Deputy Commisioner, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Terry Purcell, Operational Section Supervisor, Stormwater Program, Department of Environmental Conservation
  

11:00 AM

Security Briefing

Due to the nature of the content this meeting will not be live streamed.

• Agatha Kessler, Sergeant-At-Arms, Vermont State House
  
• John Poleway, Chief, Capitol Police Department
  
• Joe Tremblay, Officer, Capitol Police Department
  

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Lunch

1:00 PM

Clean Water Oversight

Introductions to Clean Water Service Providers and Regional Planning Commission

• Chris Rottler, Water Investment Coordinator, Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Investment Division
  
• Hilary Solomon, District Manager, Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District
  

2:30 PM

Budget Adjustment Act

• Rep. Trevor Squirrell, House Committee on Appropriations
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

3:45 PM

Legislative Briefing

House Chamber

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Vermont Conservation Design

• Robert Zaino, Ecologist, Department of Fish and Wildlife
  

10:00 AM

Community Wildlife Program and the Importance of Connectivity and Wildlife Crossings

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, Fish and Wildlife
  

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Lunch

1:00 PM

Act 181 and Act 250 Review

• Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

After Floor

Ethics, Rules and Decorum Training

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Friday, January 24, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

House Floor

10:30 AM

Discrimination Prevention Training

Training located in the Pavilion, second floor

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Lunch

1:00 PM

TBD

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

House Floor & Caucuses

-

Lunch

1:00 PM

Governor's 2026 Budget Address

Joint assembly to receive budget address.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Beavers in Vermont

• Will Duane, Land Acquisition Coordinator, Department of Fish and Wildlife
  
• Brehan Furfey, Furbearer Project Leader, Department of Fish and Wildlife
  
• Ben Goldfarb, Environmental Journalist and Author
  
• Shane Jaquith, Watershed Restoration Manager, The Nature Conservatory
  

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Lunch

1:00 PM

Clean Water Oversight

Background on PFAS and Act 131 of 2024 PFAS in Consumer Products Report

• Pamela Bryer, Agrichemical Toxicologist, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management Division, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Matt Chapman, Director of Waste Management & Prevention Division, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Steve Dwinell, Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Vermont Conservation Design

• Alexandra Kosiba, Extension Assistant Professor, UVM Extension Forestry
  
• Shelby Perry, Wildlands Ecology Director, Northeast Wilderness Trust
  
• Liz Thompson, Ecologist, Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands & Communities
  

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Lunch

1:00 PM

Transportation for Vermonters (T4VT) Coalition

• Kati Gallagher, T4VT Coordinator and Sustainable Communities Program Director, Vermont Natural Resources Council
  
• Robb Kidd, Conservation Program Manager, Sierra Club Vermont
  

1:30 PM

Act 131 Proposed Legislation Version 5.1 Walk-through

• Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

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Friday, January 31, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

House Floor

10:30 AM

Key Findings from 10 Years of the Vermont Atlas of Life

An overview of the Vermont Atlas of Life and key take-aways from Vermont Center for Ecostudies' 10-Year Anniversary Report.

• Emily Anderson, Science to Policy Manager, Vermont Center for Ecostudies
  

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Adjourn

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Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

House Floor & Caucuses

-

Lunch

1:00 PM

TBD

• Emily Bird, Program Manager, Clean Water Initiative, Department of Environmental Conservation, Agency of Natural Resources
  
• Claire Madden, Clean Water Initiative Program Tracking & Accounting Supervisor, Department of Environmental Conservation
  

2:10 PM

Per- and Polyflouroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

• Sylvia Knight, Earth Community Advocate and Researcher, Vermont Pesticide and Poison Action Network
  

2:30 PM

Green Mountain Water Environment Association

Stormwater, wastewater and PFAS.

• Christina Adams, Vice President GMWEA and Industrial Sales Manager, Resource Management Inc., Green Mountain Water Environment Association
  
• Christine Dougherty, President GMWEA and Public Works Assistant Director, Town of Williston, Green Mountain Water Environment Association
  
• Matt Dow, Director of Wastewater, City of Burlington, Green Mountain Water Environment Association
  
• Harry Shepard, Second Vice President GMWEA and Public Works Director, Town of Stowe, Green Mountain Water Environment Association
  

3:00 PM

Beavers in Vermont

• John Aberth, Flint Brook Wildlife Rescue
  
• Robert Hyams, Riverscape Ecology/ HRS LLC
  

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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Act 59 Oversight

An introduction to Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and their work with Act 59, Community Resiliency and Biodiversity Protection

• Pollaidh Major, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
  
• Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
  

10:30 AM

Per- and Polyflouroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

• Paul Burns, Executive Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
  
• Katie Pelch, Senior Scientist, Environmental Health, Natural Resources Defense Council
  
• Anna Reade, Director, PFAS Advocacy, Environmental Health, Natural Resources Defense Council
  
• Anna Seuberling, Environmental Advocate, Vermont Public Interest Research Group
  

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Lunch

1:15 PM

Per- and Polyflouroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

• Kelly Ault, Executive Director, Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance
  
• Mike Bald, Founder and Owner, Got Weeds?
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

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Thursday, February 6, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Clean Water Oversight

Three Acre Storm Rule

• Kevin Burke, Stormwater Program Manager, Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division
  
• Tom Dipietro, Director of Public Works, South Burlington
  
• Bill Houston, Concerned Citizen
  
• Page Kaleita, Concerned Citizen
  
• Neil Kamman, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation
  

10:45 AM

Apex Species and Landscape Restoration

• Emily Carrollo, Cougar Research Collaborative Project Coordinator, Panthera
  

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Lunch

1:15 PM

H.146 - An act relating to administration and enforcement of agricultural water quality requirements in the State

Walk-through

• Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

House Floor

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Friday, February 7, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

House Floor

11:10 AM

Clean Water Oversight

Functioning Floodplain Initiative and Floodplain Management

• Rebecca Pfeiffer, River Corridor and Floodplain Protection Manager, Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division
  
• Staci Pomeroy, Department of Environmental Conservation, Watershed Management Division
  

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Adjourn

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