Hartland authorizes Act 244 burning-permit request and outlines response to Agency of Natural Resources notice

The Town of Hartland on July 20 authorized the Selectboard chair to sign an Act 244 burning-permit request to the Air Quality & Climate Control director, David Ruby, to allow clean-wood burning at the town pit. Tom Kennedy moved the motion and Jim Rielly seconded; the board approved it unanimously.

Town Manager John Broker-Campbell told the board the town has received a Notice of Alleged Violation from the Agency of Natural Resources dated July 7, 2026. He said the notice lists five compliance correctives and that the town plans to install access control to bring the pit into compliance. "We will install access control to bring us into compliance, and within 14 days, we will let them know how we will be bringing the rest of these correctives into compliance," Broker-Campbell said.

Mark Peeler asked questions about the corrective steps and pile sorting that will be required. The board did not take a separate vote on the NOAV response at the meeting but discussed next steps and a timeline for informing the agency of additional remedies.

Next steps: the town will install access control at the pit, sort piles appropriately, and inform the Agency of Natural Resources within 14 days about how it will address the remaining corrective items.