Permit Loses in Battle With Stormwater Crisis

Vermont Senate Democratic budget writers Wednesday took $355,000 originally earmarked for changes to the environmental permit process and reallocated the funds to help solve the state's stormwater crisis, the Times Argus reported.

"There is not a more important issue for the state right now than getting stormwater resolved," Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille, and chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told the Times Argus. "It will cost a little over $2 million, and the money has to come from someplace."

The permit reform was a top priority for the Republican Douglas Administration, but many Senate Democrats do not like the plan. Their main contention is that the plan removes appeal oversight from both the Vermont Water Resources and Environmental boards and transfers their authority to an expanded Environmental Court.

"They are going to have to find money somewhere else for the Environmental Court," Bartlett said told the Argus. "The Environmental Court is not a priority for this committee. Stormwater is."

Senate President Peter Welch, D-Windsor, and Republican House leaders said they would find enough money to pay for both permit and stormwater reform. However, the erupting power struggle does concern Republicans.

Administration officials acknowledged the Senate rift, but said there is no need to choose between stormwater and permit reform, the Times Argus reported. Both are high priorities, they said.

Source: the Times Argus