§ 4752. Definitions
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Agency” means the Agency of Natural Resources.
(2) “Bond Bank” means the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank established by section 4571 of this title.
(3) “Municipality” means any city, town, village, town school district, incorporated school
district, union school district, or other school district, fire district, consolidated
sewer district, consolidated water district, solid waste district, or statewide or
regional water quality utility or mechanism organized under laws of the State.
(4) “Municipal bond” means a bond or note or evidence of debt constituting a general obligation
of a municipality.
(5) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Natural Resources or his or her authorized representative.
(6) “Noncommunity water system” shall have the same meaning as in 10 V.S.A. § 1671.
(7) “Privately owned water system” means any water system that is not owned or operated
by a municipality.
(8) “Community water system” shall have the same meaning as in 10 V.S.A. § 1671.
(9) “Public water supply systems” means a public water system as that term is defined
in 10 V.S.A. § 1671, except for bottled water facilities and for-profit noncommunity systems, which includes
water systems, water treatment plants, structures, pipe lines, storage facilities,
pumps, and attendant facilities necessary to develop a source of water, and to treat
and convey it in proper quantity and quality.
(10) [Repealed.]
(11) “Clean water project” means “water pollution abatement and control facilities,” as
defined in 10 V.S.A. § 1571, and such equipment, conveyances, structural or nonstructural facilities, and natural
resources projects that are needed for and appurtenant to the prevention, management,
treatment, storage, or disposal of stormwater, sewage, or waste, or that provide water
quality benefits, including a wastewater treatment facility, combined sewer separation
facilities, an indirect discharge system, a wastewater system, flood resiliency work
related to a structural facility, or a groundwater protection project.
(12) “Disadvantaged municipality” means a municipality or the served area of a municipality
that:
(A) has a median household income below the State average median household income as determined
by the Secretary and that, after construction of the proposed water supply improvements,
will have an annual household user cost greater than one percent of the median household
income as determined by the Secretary; or
(B) has a median household income equal to or greater than the State average median household
income as determined by the Secretary and that, after construction of the proposed
water supply improvements, will have an annual household user cost greater than 2.5
percent of the median household income as determined by the Secretary.
(13) “Potable water supply” shall have the same meaning as in 10 V.S.A. § 1972.
(14) “Sewage” shall have the same meaning as used in section 3501 of this chapter.
(15) “Stormwater” shall have the same meaning as stormwater runoff in section 1264 of this title.
(16) “Waste” shall have the same meaning as used in 10 V.S.A. § 1251.
(17) “Designer” means a person authorized to design wastewater systems and potable water
supplies as identified in 10 V.S.A. § 1975.
(18) “Natural resources project” means a project to protect, conserve, or restore natural
resources, including the acquisition of easements and land, for the purpose of providing
water quality benefits.
(19) “Sponsorship program” means an arrangement in which natural resources projects are
paired with water pollution abatement and control facilities projects, as defined
in 10 V.S.A. § 1571, for the purposes of water quality improvement. Under the sponsorship program, a
municipality may obtain a loan for both a natural resources project and a water pollution
abatement and control facilities project. The loan rate and terms shall be adjusted
to forgive all or a portion of the natural resources project over the life of the
loan. Only municipalities and nonprofit organizations may receive funds under a sponsorship
program.
(20) “Hardship municipality” means a municipality served by a municipally owned public
community water system that:
(A) has a residential population of 250 or less;
(B) has an annual household user cost that exceeds $1,000.00 or 1.5 percent of the median
household income after construction of the water supply improvements project as determined
by the Secretary; and
(C) requires improvements to address an imminent public health hazard or a substantial
threat to public health as determined by the Secretary. (Added 1987, No. 75, § 1; amended 1987, No. 76, § 18; 1989, No. 30, § 8, eff. April 27, 1989; 1989, No. 276 (Adj. Sess.), § 36, eff. June 20, 1990; 1997, No. 62, § 66, eff. June 26, 1997; 1999, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 51, eff. May 24, 2000; 2011, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 30, eff. May 14, 2012; 2015, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 25, eff. May 12, 2016; 2017, No. 168 (Adj. Sess.), § 20, eff. May 22, 2018; 2017, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 28, 2018; 2017, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 19; 2019, No. 72, § E.700.)