Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 5618 | Snowmobile VERMONT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT by Matt Tetreault, VAST Trails Administrator Department of Motor Vehicles Fees Bill This bill typically does not pique our interest unless there are increases in fees for snowmobile registrations. When this bill was first introduced this year, registration fees for pretty much every vehicle were scheduled to increase. Needless to say, the fees associated with registering your snowmobile in Vermont are going to increase for 2017. The fees for residents will increase from the current rate of $25 to $28. Non-resident fees will increase from $32 to $36. This was not something VAST asked for. However, we did not object to it either. All of the additional revenue generated from this fee increase will be given directly to VAST for use within the Statewide Snowmobile Trails Program (SSTP) budget. This will amount to While this past winter was slow, things were moving at a feverish pace in the Vermont State House. VAST was no stranger to the actions taking place in the capitol city. Steve McLeod and Frank Stanley are lobbyists hired by VAST to keep their eyes and ears open down at the State House while the legislature is in session. We are also very fortunate to work closely with other members of the legislature, as well as our partners at the state through the Governor’s Snowmobile Council, which meets monthly throughout the legislative session. Here are several items of importance to VAST members: H-857 Forest Fragmentation & Miscellaneous Timber Harvesting The intent of H-857 was essentially to preserve Vermont’s forestland by focusing development in already populated and urban areas instead of developing in rural areas where there are forested tracts of land. The bill was intended to minimize “forest fragmentation” by real estate development in forest blocks away from existing development. However, several versions of the bill included trails, timber harvesting operations, and maple operations as “forest fragmentation.” VAST was able to collaborate with other trail organizations, Vermont Traditions Coalition and the Vermont Forest Products Association to work with key legislators and the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation to clarify that unpaved trails, forestry operations and maple/ farm operations were not “forest fragmentation” and therefore were not intended to be minimized. Crisis averted! H-854 Timber Trespass & Timber Theft This was another bill where the language contained within it had ramifications for VAST and for local clubs who perform tree cutting and debrushing along the trails. This bill was primarily a timber trespass law, which means damage or removal of a forest product without permission of the landowner is a criminal violation instead of a civil violation. It could result in penalties for each tree ranging from $50 per shrub and up to $2,000 per tree as well as jail time of up to 2 years coupled with a $50,000 fine. Even though this bill is not geared toward clubs cutting brush and relocating trails, it does drive home the point that clubs must obtain proper landowner permission to remove trees and cut brush along the VAST trails. Make sure landowners are well aware of what is going to be cut and obtain the permission in writing on the VAST landowner permission form. TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS TRAILS All clubs should have submitted their Grant-In-Aid applications by June 30, and by the time you are reading this, most clubs will know if they received any funding for their projects. VAST will be providing upwards of $425,000 to fund trail maintenance, construction, and debrushing along the SSTS this summer and fall. Those of you who purchased your TMAs this past year are the ones responsible for funding all of this trail work. Without you, none of the work would be completed. We will hopefully have a productive winter snow-wise and you will all be able to see where this funding went along the trail system. GRANT-IN-AID