House advances H.687 to reshape Act 250 governance, expand housing exemptions and create new land‑use tiers

The Vermont House on March 29 took up H.687, an extensive rewrite of how the state administers Act 250 that would create a five‑member Environmental Review Board, add new mapping and jurisdictional tiers for future land use, and institute new protections for forest blocks and habitat connectors. Lawmakers also debated a package of housing exemptions and multiple appropriations to staff the new board.

Representative Bongards, speaking for the House Committee on Environment and Energy, said the bill grew from three cross‑pollinated studies and a summer of stakeholder work and framed the legislation as four core reforms: restoring board‑level governance for Act 250 appeals, establishing consistent regional land‑use mapping, shifting some jurisdictional rules from project size to location, and streamlining designation and benefit programs for towns. "Unless we adapt, unless we get real, this summer's round of $1,000,000,000 devastation is going to happen again and again," Bongards said, citing recent flood losses as a reason to prioritize resiliency.

The measure would rename and professionalize the Natural Resources Board as the Environmental Review Board (ERB), add a full‑time chair and four half‑time members with staggered five‑year terms, and create a nominating committee to forward vetted candidates to the governor and Senate for confirmation. The ERB would hear…