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Lakes divide over wake‑surfing: local bans clash with calls for statewide setback rules
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Summary
Municipal referendums, lake associations and boating groups clashed over SB 313, with some towns citing scientific studies and local votes to ban ballast‑enhanced wake boats and others urging a uniform 200‑foot setback and state preemption to avoid a patchwork of local rules.
Testimony on SB 313, the wakesurfing bill, exposed a sharp divide between lake communities that pursued multi‑year local processes and referendums and industry and boating groups pushing for a uniform state setback. Supporters of local bans, such as Lake Waramaug advocates and the towns of Warren, Washington and Kent, described extensive local studies, public hearings and a referendum that passed by wide margins; they urged the committee to respect the referendum result and preserve municipalities' authority to regulate incompatible activities on specific lakes.
Opponents including the National Marine Manufacturers Association and recreation associations argued the state should adopt a single statewide standard (they cited 200 feet) to provide clarity for boaters and enforcement. Some lake groups warned that a weak statewide rule without preemption could encourage navigation to alternative lakes and increase spread of invasive species.
DEEP's draft wake‑surfing study, published the day before the hearing, was referenced repeatedly: DEEP staff said the report outlines three common management approaches (shoreline setbacks, depth restrictions and minimum lake size) and recommended more work to tailor rules to lake conditions. Several lawmakers pressed for time to review the draft study before final decisions.
What happens next: Committee staff and sponsors indicated more work is needed. Several members urged reconciling local democratic processes with any statewide standard; stakeholders asked the committee to consider clearer enforcement language and provisions for lakes with smaller area or special ecological sensitivity.
