The Habitat Corridor Conservation Stamp Act aims to enhance wildlife protection and promote habitat conservation in Vermont by establishing a program under the Secretary of Natural Resources. The bill emphasizes the importance of biodiversity and landscape connectivity, addressing threats from climate change and habitat fragmentation. It mandates the creation of an inventory of suitable lands for conservation and the development of a comprehensive conservation plan by December 31, 2028. To fund these initiatives, the bill establishes the Habitat Corridor Conservation Special Fund, which will be financed through the sale of Habitat Corridor Conservation Stamps, appropriations from the General Assembly, and other sources.

Additionally, the bill introduces penalties for harming wildlife or damaging wildlife crossings, allowing courts to mandate restitution for the treatment of injured wildlife. It empowers the Secretaries of Natural Resources and Transportation to prohibit wildlife taking within designated crossings and creates a tax credit for residents purchasing conservation stamps. The bill allocates $25,000 for public education on landscape connectivity and $125,000 for land inventory and conservation planning, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 32-5813