2013 Vermont Statutes
Title 10 Conservation and Development
Chapter 165 GENERAL PERMIT AUTHORITY
§ 7502 Issuance of general permits; public participation

7502. Issuance of general permits; public participation

(a) When, under section 7501 of this title, the secretary determines to issue a general permit, the secretary shall prepare a proposed general permit and shall provide for public notice of the permit in a manner designed to inform interested and potentially interested persons of the proposed general permit.

(1) Notice of the proposed general permit shall be circulated within each geographic area to which the permit would apply and shall include at least all of the following:

(A) Written notice to the clerk of each municipality within the geographic area.

(B) Written notice to each affected Vermont state agency and such other government agencies as the secretary deems appropriate.

(C) Publication of notice of the proposed permit in a newspaper or newspapers that circulate generally within each geographic area to which the permit would apply.

(D) Posting of notice and a copy of the proposed general permit prominently on the web page of the department.

(E) Mailing of notice and a copy of the proposed general permit to any individual, group, or organization upon request.

(F) Mailing of notice and a copy of the proposed general permit to the chairs of the house committees on commerce and economic development, on fish, wildlife and water resources, and on natural resources and energy, and the senate committees on economic development, housing and general affairs and on natural resources and energy. With this mailing, the secretary shall also include a brief summary of any scientific information on which the proposed rule is based. If the secretary proposes to amend a general permit previously issued under this chapter, the secretary further shall include an annotated text showing changes from the existing permit.

(G) The inclusion in any notice issued under this subsection of a summary of the proposed general permit, including a summary of the activities to which it would apply and its terms and conditions; the deadlines by which comments are to be submitted and a public information meeting requested; the procedure for submitting comments and requesting a public information meeting; the contact information for the agency or department concerning the proposed permit; and a statement of how a copy of the proposed general permit may be obtained.

(2) The secretary shall provide a period of not less than 30 days following the date of publication in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation during which any person may submit written comments on the proposed general permit.

(b) The secretary shall provide an opportunity for any person, state, province, or country potentially affected by the proposed general permit to request a public informational meeting with respect to the proposed permit.

(1) The deadline for any request under this subsection shall be no earlier than the deadline for submitting written comments set under subdivision (a)(2) of this section. The secretary shall hold an informational meeting if there is a significant public interest in holding a meeting.

(2) The secretary shall provide public notice of any informational meeting in at least the same manner as public notice of the proposed general permit was given under subsection (a) of this section, except that the secretary need not set a new comment deadline or provide, with the notice of the meeting, a copy of the proposed general permit to any person or entity to which the secretary has already provided a copy.

(3) Any person shall be permitted to submit oral or written statements and data concerning the proposed general permit at the informational meeting.

(4) All statements, comments, and data presented at the meeting shall be retained by the secretary and considered in the formulation of the secretary's determinations regarding the final general permit.

(c) Whether or not requested, the secretary may hold a public informational meeting on a proposed general permit at any time prior to final decision on and issuance of the general permit. The provisions of subdivisions (b)(2) through (4) of this section shall apply to such a meeting.

(d) The secretary may finally adopt a general permit following consideration of any written comments submitted on the general permit and any statements, comments, and data presented at a public information meeting on the permit. Where the secretary decides, in finally adopting a proposed general permit, to overrule substantial arguments and considerations raised for or against the original proposal, the secretary's final adoption of the general permit shall include a responsiveness summary stating the reasons for the secretary's decision.

(e) On final adoption of a general permit, the secretary shall provide notice of the permit's final adoption and an accompanying responsiveness summary in at least the same manner as notice of the proposed general permit was issued under subdivision (a)(1) of this section, except that the secretary need not set or include further deadlines for comment or requesting an informational meeting. (Added 2009, No. 54, 90, eff. June 1, 2009.)