VT H0425

Secretary of Natural Resources must submit a regional long-term septage, sludge, and solids management plan to the House Committee on Environment and Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy by January 15, 2025

Plan must propose establishment of multi-municipality districts or utilities for regional management and identify existing wastewater treatment facilities to serve as regional acceptance sites

Plan must address barriers to regional acceptance sites, facilitate intermunicipal cost-sharing agreements, and preserve wastewater treatment capacity for municipalities without their own facilities

Plan must include strategies for managing contaminants of concern such as PFAS, assess options for beneficial end uses including public-private partnerships and resource recovery, and propose service fee structures

Public comment period of at least 30 days required before submitting the plan to the General Assembly; effective date is July 1, 2025