Table of Contents
- Regulations
- Rulemaking
- Rules
- Petitions and Petition Decisions
- Procedures
- MOUs
- Past UPW Decisions Listed by Year
- Past WRP Decisions Listed by Year
Vermont Regulations Pertaining to Water Quality
PDF of Vermont Regulations Pertaining to Water Quality
This pdf may not list all Vermont water resources related regulations.
Visit our Permits page for a list of activities that may require authorization.
Rulemaking
In May 2012, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 138, which transfers certain rulemaking authority from the Water Resources Panel of the Vermont Natural Resources Board to the Agency of Natural Resources. The Agency is now responsible for rulemaking concerning the Vermont Water Quality Standards, Vermont Wetland Rules, Vermont Use of Public Water Rules, Vermont Surface Level Rules and the Vermont Rules Determining Mean Water Levels. Act 138 also transferred rulemaking authority to the Agency to designate Class I wetlands and Outstanding Resource Waters. These two designation processes provide enhanced protections for significant wetlands and waters. All of these rules will be administered and applied by the Watershed Management Division in its water-related permits programs.
As the successor of the Water Resources Panel’s rulemaking functions, the Agency will provide a forum for meaningful citizen involvement in the development of these rules. Act 138 specifically requires that the Agency engage in expanded public participation processes with affected stakeholders and other interested persons during rulemaking.
Until such time as the Agency develops its own procedures or rules to govern this new rulemaking authority, Act 138 provides that the rules of the Water Resources Panel issued pursuant to 10 V.S.A. §6025(d), as that statute and those rules existed prior to the enactment of Act 138, are deemed rules of the Agency. Persons wishing to petition the Agency for rulemaking should consult the Panel’s Rule of Procedures for direction on the petition process.
Rules
Existing Rules
- Combined Sewer Overflow Rule: Effective September 15, 2016
- Vermont Clean Water Act 64 summary and full bill (2015)
- NRB Rules of Procedure: Effective May 1, 2006
- Vermont Water Quality Standards: Effective November 15, 2022
- Vermont Wetland Rules: Effective February 10, 2023
- Vermont Use of Public Water Rules: Amended effective December 10, 2021
- Vermont Surface Level Rules
- Vermont Rules Determining Mean Water Levels: Adopted December 30, 2011
- Vermont Stream Alteration Rule: Effective March 10, 2017
- Vermont Flood Hazard Area and River Corridor Rule: Adopted October 24, 2014
- Vermont Stormwater Management Manual Rule: Effective July 1, 2017
- Stormwater Permitting Rule: Effective March 15, 2019
- Pollution Abatement Facility Operator Rule: Effective August 2, 2021
- Wasteload Allocation Process Rule: Effective September 15, 1987
- Water Pollution Control Permit Regulations: Effective February 26, 1974
- Water Pollution Control Permit Regulations Amendment: Effective October 7, 1991
Recently Adopted Rules
All Terrain Vehicles on Ice-Covered Bodies of Public Water
Approval Letter
Adopting Page
Coversheet
Use of All Terrain Vehicles on Ice-Covered Bodies of Public Water Rules
Snowmobiling on State-Owned Lands
Approval Letter
Adopting Page
Coversheet
Snowmobiling on State-Owned Lands Rules
Use of Public Waters Rules
Approval Letter
Adopting Page
Coversheet
Use of Public Waters Rules
Vermont Water Quality Standards Rule (Chapter 29A) - Effective 11/15/2022
EPA Approval Letter
Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules Approval Memo
Final Adopted Rule
Vermont Stormwater Management Manual Rule - Effective 7/1/2017
Approval Letter
Adopting Page
Coversheet
Vermont Stormwater Management Manual Rule
Vermont Wetland Rules (Chapter 30)
Approval Letter
Adopting Page and Coversheet
Vermont Wetland Rules
Stormwater Permitting Rule (Chapter 22) - Effective 3/15/2019
LCAR Forms
Stormwater Permitting Rule (Ch. 22)
Proposed Rule Changes
Petitions and Petition Decisions
Information about Petitions and Petition Decisions has been moved to a new web page. Please click here to visit the Petitions and Petition Decisions page.
Procedures
- Antidegradation Procedure
- Waste Management Zone Designation Procedure
- Procedure for Evaluating Petitions to Reclassify Wadeable Rivers or Streams to Class a(1)
- Procedure for Evaluating Petitions to Adopt, Amend or Repeal Surface Water and Wetland Rules, November 2013
- Natural Resources Board Rules of Procedure (NRB ROP)
- Flood Hazard Area & River Corridor Protection Procedure: Act 250/Section 248 proceedings
- Water Quality Remediation Plan Procedure, July 2015
- Water Quality Remediation Plan Procedure – response to comment
- Vermont Wetlands Section Class II and Class III Determination Procedure
- Vermont Wetlands Rules Applicability to Roads Procedure: This document provides the Agency of Natural Resources' interpretation of how the Vermont Wetland Rules (VWR) applies to the construction, repair, maintenance or improvements of roads that are in wetlands or wetland buffer zones.
- Procedure for Existing Constructed Features: This procedure is intended to clarift how the Wetlands Program determines when a feature shall not be regulated as a wetland under the Vermont Wetland Rules (VWR) in accordance with §3.1(b) of the VWR.
- Procedure for Public Notice of Untreated Discharges and Unpermitted Discharges to Vermont's Surface Waters - In response Act 86, this procedure has been developed to outline the reporting and public notice of untreated and unpermitted discharges. This procedure defines the public notice, reporting, and signage requirements of wastewater treatment facilities in the event of an untreated discharge to waters of the State. In addition, this procedure defines the requirements of the Agency and sets forth a protocol for internal Agency coordination in the event of an unpermitted discharge to waters of the State, which may pose a threat to human health or the environment.
- Procedure for Determining Significant Non-Compliance for the Vermont WPC Permit Program
- Procedure for Designation of Regulated Small MS4s
- Engineering Feasibility Analysis Procedure
- Vermont ANR 1987 Stormwater Management Procedures
- Vermont ANR 1997 Stormwater Management Procedures
- Agency Procedure for Determining Acceptable Minimum Streamflows - Procedure used to determine minimum streamflows for all activities (water withdrawals and hydroelectric projects) except snowmaking, adopted July 14, 1993.
- Interim Procedures for Lake Encroachment Application Review