House approves Flood Safety Act to regulate river corridors, wetlands and dams

The House on Thursday approved S.213, the Flood Safety Act, a sweeping package of changes aimed at reducing future flood damage by regulating development in river corridors, strengthening wetland protections and improving dam safety.

Member from Randolph, presenting the bill, said it would “require a permit for many kinds of development in river corridors” and update mapping and flood‑hazard standards so Vermont can better plan for where rivers will move during major storms. He told colleagues the bill targets rivers that drain areas greater than 2 square miles and seeks to keep development out of high‑hazard areas while allowing infill in already‑built places when appropriate.

Among the bill’s key provisions:
- River‑corridor permitting and mapping: the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) would amend river corridor base maps and adopt rules for permitting; rulemaking and outreach are phased, with rules adopted by July 1, 2027 and permitting required beginning January 1, 2028.
- Flood hazard standards: state standards would be updated to meet or exceed FEMA’s NFIP requirements and become the state minimum beginning in 2028.
- Wetland protections: the bill requires a net‑gain approach, raising the required restoration ratio to at least 2:1 for permitted wetland impacts and directing improved wetlands mapping and annual reporting to the Legislature.
- Dam safety: oversight of 21 dams would shift from the Public Utility Commission to DEC, the unsafe dam revolving loan fund is retitled the dam safety revolving loan fund and eligibility for assistance is broadened to include emergency and non‑emergency repairs; DEC must report annually on the program.
- Pollution and materials: new prohibitions would apply to the installation or repair of docks and floating structures using unencapsulated expanded polystyrene or open‑cell beaded polystyrene foam.

Supporters argued the bill responds to recent, costly floods and will reduce future recovery costs. “This bill bolsters our resilience to these types of events,” said the member from Berry City during floor debate, urging members to vote yes.

Critics warned about resources and timelines. A member from Holtony said the bill combines high‑priority tasks with lower‑value work and that the Agency of Natural Resources may be underresourced to meet aggressive deadlines, emphasizing concern about implementation capacity and asking for roll‑call accountability.

The House completed a recorded roll call on third reading; the clerk announced: those voting yes, 111; those voting no, 26. Third reading was ordered and the House proposed to the Senate to amend the bill as recommended by the House.

Next steps: the House’s action sends the amended bill back to the Senate; DEC and other named agencies will begin rulemaking and planning per the statutory timelines if the bill becomes law.