Regional planning commissions brief Vermont House panel on Act 181 rollout, funding and disaster response

Peter Gregory, executive director of the Two Rivers‑Ottauquechee Regional Commission, told the Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development on Jan. 16 that regional planning commissions (RPCs) are implementing elements of last year’s Act 181 and continuing long‑running work on housing, brownfields, emergency preparedness and local technical assistance.

"Regional planning commissions ... are political subdivisions of the state ... we are an arm of state government," Gregory said, describing RPCs as the staff for many small towns that lack municipal employees. He told the committee Vermont’s 11 RPCs employ about 135 staff and provide direct assistance to communities on grant administration, planning and emergency response.

The presentation outlined several near‑term priorities for RPCs and requests for the Legislature: continued funding from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (largely from the property‑transfer tax), additional state investment in brownfields assessment and remediation, and restored funding for emergency planning and response. Gregory said the RPCs expect to complete regional land‑use plans required by Act 181 by the end of 2026 and urged the committee not to change course midstream.

Why it matters: RPCs serve as the primary substate planning and technical assistance partners for Vermont’s towns, especially small communities with little or no staff. The…