The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
(Cite as: 10 V.S.A. § 1428)
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§ 1428. River corridor protection
(a) River corridor maps. Upon completion of a sensitivity assessment for a river or river segment under section 1427 of this title, the Secretary shall provide to each municipality and regional planning commission
in which the river or river segment is located a copy of the sensitivity assessment
and a river corridor map for the municipality and region. A river corridor map provided
to a municipality and regional planning commission shall identify floodplains, river
corridor protection areas, flood hazard areas, and other areas or zones indicated
on a Federal Emergency Management Agency flood insurance rate map, and shall recommend
best management practices, including vegetated buffers, based on site-specific conditions.
The Secretary shall post a copy of the sensitivity assessment and river corridor map
to the Agency of Natural Resources’ website. A municipality with a mapped river or
river segment shall post a copy of a sensitivity assessment and river corridor map
received under this subsection in the municipal offices and on the municipality’s
website, if the municipality regularly updates its website. A regional planning commission
shall post a sensitivity assessment or river corridor map received under this subsection
in the commission’s offices and on the commission’s website. When a sensitivity assessment
or a river corridor map is provided to a municipality, provided to a regional planning
commission, or posted on the Agency website, the Agency shall provide all information,
including the supportive data, in a digital format.
(b) River corridor protection area bylaw. The Secretary shall create and make available to municipalities several alternative
model river corridor protection area bylaws or ordinances for potential adoption by
municipalities pursuant to 24 V.S.A. chapter 117 or 24 V.S.A. § 2291. The model bylaws or ordinances shall use terminology consistent with the National
Flood Insurance Program regulations.
(c) Flood Resilient Communities Program; incentives. No later than February 1, 2013, the Secretary of Administration, after consultation
with the State agencies of relevant jurisdiction, shall offer financial incentives
through a Flood Resilient Communities Program. The Program shall list the existing
financial incentives under State law for which municipalities may apply for financial
assistance, when funds are available, for municipal adoption and implementation of
bylaws under 24 V.S.A. chapter 117 that protect river corridors and floodplains. The Secretary of Natural Resources
shall summarize minimum standards for municipal eligibility for any financial incentives
established under this subsection. (Added 2011, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. May 14, 2012.)