04/07/2026
svermokie
VERMONT ASSOCIATIONS
AST OF SNOW TRAVELERS
VAST Stands with Vermont Landowners - REPEAL ACT 181 Over the past decade, Vermont's land-use regulations have grown increasingly complex and restrictive for the people who live, work, and invest in the state. What was once a balanced approach to conservation and development has, in many cases, shifted toward policies that place heavier burdens on
landowners, farmers, and small businesses. Organizations like VAST have engaged in good-faith discussions with groups such as the Vermont Natural
Resources Council, the Audubon Society, Act 250/Act 181 regulators, and the Conservation Land Trusts. The goal has been simple: to highlight the real-world impacts these policies have on working Vermonters
and to advocate for a more practical, balanced path forward. Too often, those concerns have been dismissed. Stakeholders on the ground-those who steward the land, maintain access to it, and rely on it for their livelihoods-have been told that their perspectives are
either overstated or unnecessary. That disconnect has contributed to growing frustration across the Since the passage of H.325 into Act 181 in 2024, some legislative turnover has occurred, particularly within the House and Senate Environment Committees. While new voices bring opportunity, many Vermonters feel there is still insufficient representation of landowners, farmers, outdoor recreationists,
and the broader rural economy. This is not a call to abandon conservation. It is a call to restore balance-ensuring that environmental stewardship goes hand in hand with economic sustainability and respect for those who live and work on the land. It is also a call to leadership in the Vermont Legislature to do what the people want in the
people's house, not use their position to push their own agendas. Vermonters deserve a system that listens, adapts, and reflects their needs. VAST recommends the
Vermont Legislature repeal ACT 181! Finally, the path forward is ultimately in the hands of voters. This fall's elections are an opportunity to support leaders who will prioritize practical solutions, local input, and a more balanced vision for Vermont's future. Prior to that, there will be many attempts in the last few weeks of the session to avoid repealing ACT 181 or to delay the inevitable by pushing back deadlines. Those actions are not what Vermont needs. We need our legislature to take all of our concerns about ACT 181 seriously and
objectively and do what the people of Vermont want and need.
