The bill H.113, introduced by a group of Vermont representatives, aims to declare Lake Memphremagog a "lake in crisis" due to significant environmental concerns, particularly related to phosphorus runoff that is causing excessive algal growth and posing threats to public health and natural resources. The bill emphasizes the lake's importance as a vital water source for over 175,000 people and as an economic driver in the region. It outlines the need for immediate action, funding, and attention to improve the lake's water quality and prevent further degradation.

Key changes in the bill include the elimination of the requirement that a municipality must demonstrate declining real property values for a lake to be designated as "in crisis." The Secretary of Natural Resources will now be able to designate a lake as in crisis based on its impairment status and potential harm to public health and the environment, without considering property valuation. The bill also mandates the development of a crisis response plan that includes controls on effluent discharges into the lake's tributaries. The declaration of Lake Memphremagog as a lake in crisis will take effect immediately upon passage, while the revised criteria for lake designation will come into effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 10-1310, 10-1311(c), 10-1311