Take Action: Vermont sportsmen need to contact the House of Representative’s Sergeant at Arms at 802-828-2228 or [email protected], and politely ask that they send a message to the members of the House Government Operations Committee opposing House Bill 871.
The city of Montpelier, Vt., is seeking legislative approval that would allow the capitol city the authority to ban recreational access to 245-acre Berlin Pond. This access includes non-motorized boating, hunting, fishing and trapping. The city previously attempted to regulate access to the pond, under the guise of protecting the city’s water supply from contamination by human interaction. According to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, however, at least 40 percent of Vermont residents drink water from sources that allow human recreation without issue.
The Vermont Supreme Court negated that regulation affirming that only the state had the authority to limit access to Berlin Pond. The high court left a loophole, however, that the city is attempting to exploit. The court’s decision allowed that the state of Vermont could delegate its authority over waterways to a municipality. As a result, the city approved a change to its charter that requests the state delegate authority of the pond to Montpelier. House Bill 871 would give the city authority to manage waterways to protect the water supply within the city and Berlin Pond, which is outside of the city limits. There have been no reports of contamination issues since the Supreme Court cleared the way for recreational access five years ago.
In addition to the loss of access to Berlin Pond itself, H. 871 sets a precedent that allows a local government to completely restrict access to waterways for recreational purposes. This undermines the state’s ability to manage fish and wildlife resources, and threatens to diminish opportunities for Vermont sportsmen who fund conservation programs through their hunting and fishing licenses along with taxes on hunting and fishing gear. The water supply safety fear is completely unfounded, and is a smokescreen being used by those who oppose recreational use of Berlin Pond. It is for these reasons that H. 871 should be rejected by the Vermont House of Representatives.
The bill has been referred to the House Government Operations Committee, where it will be heard on Wednesday, April 20.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance is a 501 (c) 4 organization that protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 organization that supports the same mission through public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online,Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.