Vermont fair managers warn 3‑acre stormwater rule and engineering costs threaten long‑running shows; committee eyes legislative fix

Members of the Vermont Senate Committee on Institutions heard on Feb. 19 from leaders of county and regional agricultural fairs who said state capital grants have funded critical infrastructure but that new stormwater permitting tied to the so‑called "3‑acre" rule is imposing costly engineering requirements that threaten some long‑running fairs.

The committee chair, Sen. Wendy Harrison, opened the hearing by thanking fair managers and noting the role fairs play for both residents and visitors. Jackie Folsom, lobbyist for the Vermont Agricultural Fairs Association, told the committee the annual capital grant program — $300,000 in recent years — typically funds awards of about $30,000–$35,000 per fair and requires a 15% local match; fairs often contribute substantially more than the minimum match.

"We would love to see that bumped up a little bit," Folsom said, describing how fairs use the grants for electrical upgrades, drainage, bathrooms and other multi‑year projects.

Fair managers described projects funded with grant money and local matches. Tim Shea of Champlain Valley Exposition said, "We received $32,000. We matched that with our own monies to replace the roof of the Blue Roof Pavilion, about an $80,000 project." He also described fairgrounds serving as community assets in emergencies, hosting vaccine clinics…