DEC Rules and Regulations Summary | Department of Environmental Conservation

Below is a summary of the Vermont DEC Environmental Protection Rules by Chapter, including links to the individual documents. Further information may be found by visiting these links:

DISCLAIMER: The information on this web site is provisional. For matters affecting legal rights, please refer to the printed version of the appropriate official publication. For more detailed information about rules, rulemaking or other issues, please contact the appropriate DEC Division Director.

DEC Rules Summary
Chapter	Division	Rule	Effective Date
1	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules	11/06/2023
Subdivisions, small water supply and wastewater disposal systems, campgrounds, mobile home parks, and sewage disposal permits
2	Water Investment	ANR/DEC Municipal Pollution Control Priority System	12/01/2017
Grants and loans for pollution control facilities Annual process for awarding grants and loans
4	Watershed Management	Pollution Abatement Facility Operator Rule	08/2/2021
Classifications of wastewater facilities Grades of operator certifications Requirements for certification and recertification
5	Air Quality & Climate	Air Pollution Control Regulations	12/16/2022
Ambient Air Quality Standards Air pollution control permits Prohibited activities Motor Vehicle Emissions
6	Waste Management & Prevention	Solid Waste Management Rules	10/31/2020
Definition of Solid Waste Permit requirements Operation requirements
7	Waste Management & Prevention	Hazardous Waste Management Regulations	2/1/2022
Definitions and listing of Hazardous Wastes Recycling of Hazardous Wastes Requirements for generators and transporters of Hazardous Waste Requirements for treatment, storage and disposal facilities
8	Waste Management & Prevention	Underground Storage Tank Rules	10/26/2020
Standards for new tanks and pipes Operating requirements Corrective action and closures
9	Waste Management & Prevention	Aboveground Storage Tank Rules	8/1/2024
Standards for the design and installation of aboveground storage tanks Regulation of bulk fuel storage tanks
10	Waste Management & Prevention	Deposits for Beverage Containers	09/14/2010
Labeling requirements for returned containers Redemption center requirements
11	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Underground Injection Control Rule	10/29/2014
Classification of underground injection wells Permitting underground injection wells
12	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Groundwater Protection Rule and Strategy	7/6/2019
Groundwater classifications, protection goals and strategies Procedures for reclassification Groundwater quality standards
13	Watershed Management	Water Pollution Control Permit Regulations and Amendment	02/1974 and 10/07/1991
Permits and permit processes for point discharges to surface waters Monitoring and reporting requirement General permits for "non- polluting wastes"
14	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Indirect Discharge Rules	04/12/2019
Permitting of sewage discharges to ground water and indirectly to surface waters Permitting of land application of non-sewage wastes from food processing
15	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Well Driller Licensing Rule	09/20/2002
Water well driller license issuance and renewals Water well drillers reporting requirements Construction standards for non permitted water wells
16	Watershed Management	Water Withdrawals for Snowmaking	02/15/1996
Permits for water withdrawals from surface waters for snowmaking Existing and new withdrawals
17	Watershed Management	Wasteload Allocation Process Rule	09/15/1987
Waste disposal by point discharges to surface waters Allocating multiple point and non point discharges to surface waters
18	Watershed Management	Stormwater Management Rule - Stormwater for Unimpaired Waters	07/01/2017 Repealed: 03/15/2019

19	Commissioner's Office	Permit and License Fee Schedule (superseded)	06/01/1993
superseded by statute: Title 3, Chapter 51
20	Environmental Enforcement	Environmental Penalty	11/14/2009
Classification of violations Determination of penalties for violations
21	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Water Supply Rule	02/24/2024
Public water system construction permits Public water system operation permits Drinking water quality requirements and standards Laboratory certification Water System classification and operator certification
22	Watershed Management	Stormwater Permitting Rule	03/15/2019

23	Air Quality & Climate	Regional Greenhouse Gas Rule (RGGI)	08/31/2018
A cooperative effort by ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to limit greenhouse gas emissions by limiting emissions of CO2 from electric power plants, creating CO2 allowances, and establishing participation in CO2 allowance auctions
24	Drinking Water & Groundwater Protection	Groundwater Withdrawal Reporting and Permitting Rule	06/22/2011
Requires reporting and permitting of large groundwater withdrawals
25	Environmental Enforcement	Environmental Citations	07/13/2020
Allows for the issuance of citations for environmental violations with penalties up to $3,000
26	Waste Management and Prevention	Salvage Yards Rules	09/01/2015
Definition of Salvage Yard Permit Requirements Operation Requirements
27	Watershed Management	Stream Alteration Rule	03/10/2017
Stream alteration in both emergency & non-emergency circumstances All activities that change, alter, or modify the course, current or cross-section of a watercourse within Vermont
28	Water Investment	Unsafe Dam Revolving Loan Fund Rules	02/19/2014
Establishes standards and procedures for the funding of the removal, repair, etc. of unsafe dams
29	Watershed Management	Flood Hazard Area & River Corridor Rule	03/01/2015
Regulates development exempt from municipal regulation in flood hazard areas and river corridors
29(a)	Watershed Management	Water Quality Standards	11/15/2022
Surface water quality standards Classification of surface waters Point and non-point discharges to surface water
30	Watershed Management	Vermont Wetland Rules	02/10/2023
Definition of wetlands Exemptions from rules Allowed uses and permits
31	Watershed Management	Rules for Determining Mean Water Level for Lakes and Ponds	12/30/2011
Mean water levels for Lake Champlain Rules for mean water levels for lakes and ponds with and without natural outlets
32	Watershed Management	Use of Public Waters Rules	Effective 12/10/2021

33	Watershed Management	Surface Level Rules	Date Adopted is per waterbody

34	Watershed Management	Combined Sewer Overflow Rule	9/15/2016

35	Waste Management & Prevention	Investigation & Remediation of Contaminated Properties Rule	02/23/2024
Includes requirements for notification, investigation, corrective action and closure of properties where releases of hazardous materials occur. Includes requirements for addressing Development Soils. Includes Soil Screening Values, Vapor Intrusion Values and Sediment Values.
36	Watershed Management	2017 Vermont Stormwater Management Manual Rule	7/1/2017

36A	Waste Management & Prevention	Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Rule	11/21/2017
Process to assess injuries to natural resources Provides alternatives for restoring injured natural resources
37	Water Investment	Vermont Dam Safety Rule	08/01/2020
Definitions and authority of the Dam Safety Program Required dam hazard classifications Dam registration and inspection requirements
38	Air Quality and Climate	Rule regarding the phase down of hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) in Vermont	12/15/2020
Required phase-out of HFCs in refrigeration, air conditioning, foam, and aerosol propellant end uses
39	Water Investment	Clean Water Service Provider Rule	8/12/2021
This Rule assigns a Clean Water Service Provider, or "CWSP," to each wastershed planning basin described in 10 V.S.A. § 922(a) for the purpose of achieving pollutant reduction values established by the Secretary. This rule also establishes requirements for the implementation of 10 V.S.A., Chapter 37, subchapter 5, related to the operational, financial, managerial, and technical requirements associated with CWSP service, as well as the governance structure for Basin Water Quality Councils (BWQCs). The rule also proposes requirements related to conflicts of interest policy, oversight and evaluation of CWSP service, and renewal or removal of a CWSP assignment.

Water Resources Panel note - Rules #29, #30 and #31 were originally adopted by the Vermont Water Resources Panel of the Natural Resources Board. 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.