The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 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.
Title 10 : Conservation and Development
Chapter 050 : Aquatic Nuisance Control
(Cite as: 10 V.S.A. § 1461)-
§ 1461. Aquatic nuisance inspection stations; training program
(a) The Secretary of Natural Resources shall establish a training program regarding how to conduct inspection of vessels, motor vehicles, trailers, and other equipment for the presence of aquatic plants, aquatic plant parts, and aquatic nuisance species. The training program shall include online training, recorded material, training manuals, or other material that allows a person to complete training remotely.
(b) The Secretary of Natural Resources shall establish a training program regarding how to decontaminate vessels, motor vehicles, trailers, and other equipment to prevent the spread of aquatic plants, aquatic plant parts, and aquatic nuisance species. The training program shall instruct participants regarding how to address noncompliance with the requirements of section 1454 of this title, including how:
(1) operators of the inspection station do not have authority to board a vessel unless authorized by the vessel owner; and
(2) operators of the inspection station do not have law enforcement authority to mandate compliance with the requirements of section 1454 of this title.
(c) In order to establish an aquatic nuisance species inspection station for the purposes of the vessel inspection and decontamination requirements of subsection 1454(c) of this title, a lake association, municipality, or the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation shall apply to the Secretary for approval. As a condition of approval, a representative of a lake association or municipality shall complete the training programs established under subsections (a) and (b) of this section. A lake association or municipality seeking to operate an aquatic nuisance species inspection station shall designate a representative to complete the training programs established under subsections (a) and (b) of this section.
(d) A lake association or municipality approved to operate an aquatic nuisance species inspection station under subsection (c) of this section shall provide persons who will operate the aquatic nuisance species inspection station with training materials furnished by the Secretary regarding how to conduct the inspection and decontamination of vessels, motor vehicles, trailers, and other equipment for the presence of aquatic plants, aquatic plant parts, and aquatic nuisance species.
(e) The Secretary may adopt rules under section 1460 of this title to implement the training requirements of this section, including an annual schedule of available training. (Added 2017, No. 67, § 4, eff. June 8, 2017.)
