Water groups warn H.727 must address large withdrawals and thermal discharge from data centers The Lake Champlain Committee and the Vermont Natural Resources Council told the committee that data centers cooling can require hundreds of thousands of gallons per day, create thermal discharges regulated under the Clean Water Act, and trigger gaps in state permitting that the bill should close. They offered precedents and asked to submit draft language.

Vermont's water experts warn that without strict regulations, large data centers could drain rivers and lakes, risking our precious water resources.

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#VT #CitizenPortal #DataCenterImpact #WaterQuality #VermontWater #EnvironmentalRegulation

Committee reviews S.212 to create general permits for water and sewer connections Lawmakers and agency staff discussed S.212, which would direct the Agency of Natural Resources to create a general permitting pathway for potable water and wastewater connections to speed and simplify routine development permits; members pressed agency staff on fees, municipal roles and system capacity.

Vermont lawmakers are pushing for a game-changing bill that promises to streamline water and wastewater permits, potentially saving time and money for communities!

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#VT #CitizenPortal #CommunitySustainability #InfrastructureDevelopment #RegulatoryReform #VermontWater

Berry City official urges local control after DEC permits fishing tournaments at protected reservoir Berry City city manager told the Natural Resources & Energy committee that DEC approved fishing tournaments on the Dix Reservoir without notifying the city, creating avoidable trespass conflicts, policing costs and contamination risks; he urged S.224 to give local officials decision-making authority.

Berry City’s water supply is under threat after state-approved fishing tournaments were permitted without local input, raising concerns over contamination and law enforcement costs.

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#VT #VermontWater #EnvironmentalProtection #RecreationalAccess #LocalGovernance #CitizenPortal

Vermont lawmakers are grappling with the balance between advancing smart meter technology for water systems and addressing pressing potatosecurity and privacy concerns from residents.

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#VT #SmartMetersInnovation #VermontWater #PotatosecurityStandards #CitizenPortal

Vermont committee hears split over S.213: smart meters, privacy and how to secure small water systems Lawmakers reviewed S.213, a bill on smart meters and cybersecurity for public water systems. Water managers urged baseline cyber hygiene, funding and tailored guidance for small systems; residents raised privacy concerns about frequent remote reads.

Vermont lawmakers are grappling with the balance between advancing smart meter technology for water systems and addressing pressing cybersecurity and privacy concerns from residents.

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#VT #SmartMetersInnovation #VermontWater #CybersecurityStandards #CitizenPortal