PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release – December 3, 2024
Media Contact:
Laura Dlugolecki, Environmental Analyst
Department of Environmental Conservation
802-490-6133, Laura.Dlugolecki@Vermont.gov
Vermont DEC to Hold Two Public Meetings on Petitions to Ban Wakesports on Ten Individual Lakes
Montpelier, Vt. – The Lakes and Ponds Program of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will host two public meetings this month to gather public input on nine petitions proposing to ban wakesports on 10 Vermont lakes.
Nine lake associations, representing 10 lakes that are eligible for wakesports, submitted the petitions to DEC under the Use of Public Waters Rules. The lakes include Caspian Lake, Echo Lake (Charleston), Great and Little Averill Lakes, Lake Fairlee, Shadow Lake (Glover), Waterbury Reservoir, Parker Lake (Glover), Lake Willoughby, and Joe’s Pond.
On April 15, 2024, a new rule under the Use of Public Waters Rules went into effect regulating wakeboats and wakesports on Vermont’s inland lakes. It limits wakesports with a wakeboat to wakesports zones only. There are 30 inland lakes where wakesports can occur within a specific wakesports zone.
“Under the Use of Public Waters Rules, a lake association or town can petition the State to create a rule to address a conflict related to recreation,” said DEC Commissioner Jason Batchelder. “The overarching goal for the State is to avoid and resolve conflicts while protecting the uses and natural resource values of all public waters.”
Members of the public may join the two public meetings virtually or in person.
The first meeting is on December 10 at 4:00 pm in Newport at the Gateway Center. DEC will receive verbal comments on petitions to ban wakesports on Great and Little Averill Lakes, Echo Lake (Charleston), Lake Parker (Glover), Shadow Lake (Glover), and Lake Willoughby.
The second meeting is on December 12 at 4:30 pm in Montpelier in the Dewey Conference Room at National Life. DEC will receive verbal comments on petitions to ban wakesports on Waterbury Reservoir, Lake Fairlee, Caspian Lake, and Joe's Pond.
The public may also submit written comments to ANR.WSMDLakes@Vermont.gov until 4:30 pm on December 23, 2024. Include the word "wakesports" in the email subject line and the specific petition (lake name).
DEC staff will consider feedback from the public meetings and public comment period before making a recommendation to the DEC Commissioner on whether any of the petitions will move forward into a formal rulemaking process.
Learn more about the nine petitions, any updates, and related information about the rulemaking process.
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