S.275

Introduced by   Senator Shumlin of Windham County, Senator Ankeney of Chittenden County, Senator Bartlett of Lamoille County, Senator Gossens of Addison County and Senator Sears of Bennington County

Referred to Committee on

Date:

Subject:  Conservation; West Mountain Wildlife Management Area

Statement of purpose:  This bill relates to land which was acquired by the State of Vermont pursuant to Sec. 87a of No.1 of the Acts of the 1999 Session, the budget adjustment act, and which comprises the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area.  It proposes to prohibit this land from being managed in a way that limits the ability of citizens to participate in lawful, pedestrian recreational activities, which shall include:  cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, hunting (including training and using hunting dogs), snowshoeing, swimming, trapping, wildlife observation, and the taking of game animals.  In addition, it proposes that any management plan for the land specified in this bill shall take effect only upon approval of the general assembly, and in the form in which it might be amended by the general assembly.

AN ACT RELATING TO ALLOWING PEDESTRIAN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON THE STATE-OWNED PARCEL OF THE SO-CALLED CHAMPION LANDS, AND REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL OF ANY MANAGEMENT PLAN CONCERNING THOSE LANDS

It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:

Sec. 1.  10 V.S.A. § 2606(f) is added to read:

(f)  This subsection applies to land acquired by the state of Vermont pursuant to Sec. 87a of No. 1 of the Acts of 1999, the budget adjustment act, which comprises the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and which is a portion of the so-called Champion lands.  Land described under this subsection shall not be managed to limit the ability of citizens to participate in lawful, pedestrian recreational activities on the land in question, which shall include:  cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, hunting (including training and using hunting dogs), snowshoeing, swimming, trapping, wildlife observation, and the taking of game animals.  In addition, any management plan for the land specified in this subsection shall take effect only upon approval of the general assembly, and in the form in which it might be amended by the general assembly.