A public hearing for Echo Lake’s petition to prohibit wake boats and wake sport activities has been scheduled for December 10th, starting at 4:00 p.m. at the Gateway Center, 84 Fyfe Drive, Newport, VT. The hearing will be a hybrid meeting, so you may attend in person or virtually.
Here’s a link to our petition: https://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wsm/lakes/VUPW/WakeBoatPetition(Echo-Lake).pdf
It’s imperative that your voice is heard! We need our members to show up!
If you can, attend in person. If not, please attend virtually. We are asking everyone to send a letter of support. The Agency of Natural Resources needs to know that our community supports this petition.
Send your written comments to anr.wsmdlakes@vermont.gov. The subject line should include “Wakesports—Echo Lake. ” The deadline for the written comments is December 23rd.
There will be an opportunity to speak at the public hearing. The sign-up to speak will open two weeks prior to the hearing. The number of speakers will be limited, but there is no limit to the number of written comments that can be submitted.
The Department of Environmental Conservation needs to hear your voices! Start on those letters now and get them in before the hustle and bustle of the holidays takes over.
Below is more information about the public hearing. If you have questions, please email Holly at EchoWaterQuality@gmail.com
Thank you for supporting and helping to protect our beloved Echo Lake.
Your ELPA Board
In accordance with the “procedure for evaluating petitions to adopt, amend or repeal surface water and wetland rules,” the Lakes and Ponds program will hold at least one public meeting to foster public participation in the petition process prior to determining whether or not to initiate formal rulemaking. The public meetings will be divided into two to initiate public engagement for multiple petitions. The announcement for these public meetings opens up the public comment period to review all eight petitions.
WHAT: A public meeting to receive comments on five petitions proposing amendments for lake-specific changes to the Use of Public Waters Rules governing wakesports on Great and Little Averill Lakes, Echo Lake in Charleston, Lake Parker (Glover), Shadow Lake (Glover), and Lake Willoughby.
WHERE: The Gateway Center 84 Fyfe Dr., Newport, VT 05855
OR
Online via Microsoft Teams, using the link at the meeting time: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 271 524 703 497
Passcode: jhv7DQ
OR: Dial in by phone
+1 802-828-7667,,934454274#
WHEN: December 10, 2024, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
To submit a comment:
Written and verbal comments will be accepted.
- Please submit written comments to anr.wsmdlakes@vermont.gov . Public comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on December 23rd. IMPORTANT: when submitting a public comment, please include the word “wakesports” in the subject line AND the specific petition (lake) for which you are providing a comment.
- Registration to provide verbal comments at the public meeting will be available here two weeks prior to the meeting.
Equal weight is given to comments made in person, virtually, or in writing.
Draft Meeting Agenda (Approximate Timing)
Meeting outline: 10-minute DEC intro followed by a 10-minute petitioner overview of their petition and 30-minutes of public comments. Repeat until all petitions have had public comments.
- 4:00: DEC intro to the petition process and meeting purpose
- 4:15: Averill Lakes petitioner overview
- 4:25: Averill Lakes petition comments
- 5:00: Echo Lake petitioner overview
- 5:10: Echo Lake petition comments
- 5:45: Lake Parker petitioner overview
- 5:55: Lake Parker petition comments
- 6:30: Shadow Lake petitioner overview
- 6:40: Shadow Lake petition comments
- 7:15: Lake Willoughby petitioner overview
- 7:25: Lake Willoughby petition comments
- 8:00 Wrap-up
Copies of the petitions, along with any updates and pertinent information, will be available at the following link: https://dec.vermont.gov/watershed/lakes-ponds/lakes-and-ponds-rulemaking
Thank you for your input and participation.
If you have specific questions about the meeting, please reach out to anr.wsmdLakes@vermont.gov
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources | Department of Environmental Conservation
Watershed Management Division, Lakes and Ponds Program
1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620-3522
Phone: 802-490-6133