New boat ramp laws

[PerchSlayerVT]

I got this email from a friend about a new law they are cooking up in Mont-peculiar. if you boat or fish from a boat this will affect you. I'm copying the email into this post. I think this is important and I hope people act.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Your help needed - Proposed new boat ramp laws
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2017
To: undisclosed-recipients

Attention Boaters and Anglers!

The VT Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Energy recently passed a bill known as S.75, which amends statute §1454. Transport of Aquatic Plants and Aquatic Nuisance Species. The bill is now in the House, and they are taking testimony and may vote on it as early as this week.

The amendment includes new language included as Section (c) that will have significant impacts on boaters and anglers in Vermont. The language reads:

(c) Aquatic nuisance species inspection station. A person transporting a vessel to or from a water shall, prior to launching the vessel and upon leaving a water, have the vessel, the motor vehicle transporting the vessel, the trailer, and other equipment inspected and decontaminated at an approved aquatic nuisance species inspection station if:

(1) an aquatic nuisance species inspection station is maintained at the area where the vessel is entering or leaving the water;

(2) the aquatic nuisance species inspection station is open; and

(3) an individual operating the aquatic nuisance species inspection station identifies the vessel for inspection or decontamination.

You can see the whole proposed bill here: http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/D ... 9-2017.pdf

What does this mean to you?

• This means that if you arrive at a launch in VT that has a boat greeter and/or boat wash station present, Boat greeters employed by VTANR or Lake Associations may deny you access to public waters of Vermont if you are deemed a “risk” for transporting aquatic invasive species (if you used your boat on a different lake previously, for example).
• Boat Greeters could board and inspect your vessel inside and out.
• Boat Greeters may force you to go to an offsite decontamination site for cleaning prior to launching.
• Boat Greeters may decontaminate your vessel on site with heated high pressure power washers, risking damage to your property.
• These all may take place both before launching, and upon retrieval.
• This may seriously congest boat ramps, meaning you'll be waiting a long time to launch or retrieve your boat as you wait for boats ahead of you to be inspected/decontaminated.

• This is a significant infringement on boater and angler rights and will interfere with your ability to access and utilize public accesses to public bodies of water in Vermont, without significantly reducing the spread of aquatic invasive species in Vermont.
• The only feasible way to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species in the long term is to have a concerned, engaged boating & angling public, and this is done through Education and Outreach, not mandatory boat inspection and decontamination programs.

HOW TO HELP – PLEASE DO SO THIS WEEK!

S. 75 has now crossed over into the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, and may be voted on this week.

It is imperative that you call and/or email all members of the House Committee THIS WEEK and express your concern over the impacts S.75 will have on boating and fishing access in Vermont.

Please use the email Distribution List below. Copy and paste all email addresses below into the TO: box in your email program to send an email all at once to all members of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife:

ddeen@leg.state.vt.us; strictlytrout@vermontel.net; msullivan@leg.state.vt.us; sbeyor@leg.state.vt.us; stevecbeyor@gmail.com; dainsworth@leg.state.vt.us; plefebvre@leg.state.vt.us; jim_mccullough@myfairpoint.net; COde@leg.state.vt.us; TSquirrell@leg.state.vt.us; tterenzini@leg.state.vt.us; thomas.terenzini@yahoo.com


Here is the individual contact information for each member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, in case you want to call them directly and leave messages on S. 75.

David Deen – D, (802) 869-3116
Chair of House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife
ddeen@leg.state.vt.us
strictlytrout@vermontel.net

Mary Sullivan – D, (802) 862-6632
Vice Chair of House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife
msullivan@leg.state.vt.us

Steve Beyor – R, (802) 868-3456
Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife
sbeyor@leg.state.vt.us
stevecbeyor@gmail.com

David Ainsworth – R, (802) 763-8017
Home Phone – (802) 467-8338
Work Phone – (802) 525-3531
dainsworth@leg.state.vt.us

Paul Lefebvre – R
Home Phone – (802) 467-8338
Work Phone – (802) 525-3531
plefebvre@leg.state.vt.us

James McCullough – D
Home Phone – (802) 878-2180
Work Phone – (802) 879-6001
jim_mccullough@myfairpoint.net

Carol Ode – D
Home Phone – (802) 863-3818
COde@leg.state.vt.us

Trevor Squirrell – D
Home Phone – (802) 899-2382
Work Phone – (802) 244-6850
TSquirrell@leg.state.vt.us

Thomas Terenzini – R
Home Phone – (802) 855-1945
tterenzini@leg.state.vt.us
thomas.terenzini@yahoo.com

[keithm87]

I think that any responsible boater in the state would not oppose facilities set up to decontaminate boats leaving a body of water, nor would they oppose inspection which is already a common thing in places like Joes pond and Caspian lake. I am all in favor of stopping spread of these things. That said I was not concerned by anything I read until I got to the last page and read Sec 9 (a) On or before November 15, 2017, the Secretary of Natural Resources
shall submit to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy and
the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife a report
regarding how to control the transport of aquatic nuisances to and from Lake
Champlain. The report shall include:
(6) a recommendation of whether and how vessels leaving Lake
Champlain should be quarantined from entering other waters of the State for a
defined time period or until a specific condition is satisfied.

This is very broad, and could really impact many of us.

[fishingmachine]

Lake George in NY has this type of control and it doesn't work,that's where the spiny water flea came from that's in Lake Cahamplain.The only way is to stop traffic from coming into the canal in Whitehall and close the entry from the St.Lawrence seaway.When's the last time you saw Bass tournament boats get inspected before a tournament?

[C-Hawk]

I can't believe it has taken them this long to react. If they had done something minor years ago , awareness would have been raised. I can't believe that the damage hasn't already been done. I think most sportsmen know the hazards; it's the pleasure and recreational people that need education.Quabin Reservoir here in Ma. has a sealing program going on. You need to have your boat steam cleaned and sealed to the trailer for $75. At the ramp you get checked for a certified seal and a new seal is attatched when you leave. If you go somewhere else, you need to pay again. Most people who fish there only use that boat there.Maine has a sticker you must buy to raise awareness(and money).

[PerchSlayerVT]

keithm87 - I for one am very concerned that this is the next step towards a Lake George or Quabbin Res. model where there is no more "free access", like C-Hawk says. I'm as concered as the next person about damage from invasive species but there has to be a better way. If boaters took it upon themselves to clean there own boats and drying them between waters we wouldn't be facing this new rule. Govt cant fix everything and cant be everywhere.

I don't think your thinking about the long term reprecussions of this. I see it as just the first step in closing the lake unless your inspected and sealed. That means no more showing up at the ramp at 4 or 5 am to launch because guess what? All the ramps are gated and locked and only open when the inspectors are there. its turning pubic access to public waters into a police state in my opinion. This is just the start with mandatory inspections, and some random summer student hired as an inspector bording your boat to look through everything, and stopping you from launching until he's satisfied that your boat is clean and decontaminated. I'm glad you like waiting in long lines and only going fishing when the state decides what your access hours will be that day. Section 9 as you saw pushes it even further with this study and i'm telling you nothing good is going to come out of this for fishermen.

[keithm87]

They already have these inspections on many inland lakes. I am not that concerned because they are not that intrusive. I get the slippery slope idea, and after reading it and coming across the last section agree that it is a bad idea. But inspections and stations to decontaminate IMO are not the worst idea ever. I'd happily have my boat sprayed off after a champ outing at the launch. It would save me the hassle of dragging the pressure washer out later. regulating it by law is a big step, but I think if FW installed stations and had more greeters who offered voluntary spray downs it would be a great idea, and I think many anglers would utilize it if available.

[keithm87]

Also the inspections they do now are pretty quick and don't back up launches. Seem to fit in well in the time it takes me to load gear, and prep the boat.

[Reelax]

Wow this seems overly restrictive... I wonder what the LCI's position on this is?

[Sawyer]

We went to an NH Lake a few years back where a greater ( weed control office) got boaters backed up so far a Game Warden had to stop her before a riot started. It was a 2 Hr wait and getting longer.

[fishmaster176]

I have seen the greeter at Malletts Bay and it goes quickly. That could change if it becomes a mandate. People will get very upset if a wait becomes normal. Especially on weekends. I usually like to launch a daybreak and hope any new regs would still allow me to do so. I'm a strong believer in having a healthy lake, but it needs to stay reasonable.

[C-Hawk]

What about the cruisers coming down fom Canada, or up the Canal, is there ever going to be greeters there ? The worse offenders and possibly responsible for a lot of the invasives, will in all likelihood never be checked.

[fishingmachine]

From what I gather from talking to a few of the supporters of this bill is that they are not trying to protect Lake Champlain,but the other lakes in Vermont that might be contaminated by boats that have been in Lake Champlain.This will mean lakes like Bomoseen,Dunmore,ect,ect. Every fisherman wants an uncontaminated lake to fish in,but is this the correct way to achieve this goal,or are there better less invasive ways ,pun intended.

[Black Ghost (Ken)]

Hey PerchSlayer,
Please identify yourself and your stake in this discussion. I see that you just recently became a forum member and I expect for the purpose of creating support against the bill.
Ken

[ThreeBuoys]

Fishslayer is correct, they are more worried about boats leaving Champlain and carrying invasive species to other bodies of water.
I talked to my sister-in-law who is on the House commitee and listed as one of the contacts.

[fishingmachine]

this bill passed the house 137- 2