March 12, 2025

Agenda:

• Welcome

• Transportation Funding, Rep. Matt Walker

• Natural Resources Conservation Districts (NRCD)

• Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC)

Minutes:

• Welcome

1. What did folks hear at town meeting?

1. Concerns about the education proposal, it’s effect on rural areas, and the prospect of closing schools.

2. Impact of the loss of local control.

3. Interest in removing the tax on social security.

4. Condition of town roads and concerns with transportation funding. 

5. Rep. Sibilia asked if folks would be interested in hearing from the administration on how they see the education proposal impacting rural communities. Many members found this agreeable. 

• Transportation Funding, Rep. Matt Walker 

1. Resources for Transportation Funding - AOT Budget Master and AOT Fed Fund and State Fund Match

2. The transportation budget is the fourth largest budget (2025: $327M, 2026: $321M). In FY25, the legislature added additional funds, now in FY26 the Governor's recommend goes back to the statutory required funding which is where we see the decrease. Revenues are constrained and costs are continuing to go up. The House Transportation Committee is using escalator scale funding to ease the battle of trying to find additional funding every year to supplement the budget. However, this will not directly benefit funding this fiscal year. Rep. Walker shared his concerns that transportation funding is not sustainable into the future based on lack of revenues coming in.

• Natural Resources Conservation Districts (NRCD) - Clare Ireland - Director of Operations, NRCC Administrator

1. Resources

   1. NRCD's program areas

   2. FY26 funding request

   3. Financial impacts on Federal actions

2. Natural Resource Conservation Districts (NRCDs) are non-regulatory entities that work with private landowners, farms, state and federal agencies, and other partner organizations to promote and implement conservation programs.

3. Clare brought the urgent situation of Federal funding to the caucus’ attention as NRCD is 40% federally funded. They are facing staff furloughs and pausing programs. Federally, they are broadly seeing a pause in funds for anything climate-related. This risk trickles down to the lowest level. When funding is delayed or canceled, it leaves the liability on farmers and landowners. Folks become nervous about engaging with programs that include grants or federal funding due to a lack of federal dependability. Clare asked the legislature to support $3M in funding for conservation districts for base funding for staff and the implementation of projects relating to clean water and floodplain restoration. 

• Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) - Lauren Hierl - Executive Director & Jamey Fidel - General Counsel & Forest and Wildlife Program Director

  1. Through research, education, collaboration and advocacy, VNRC protects and enhances Vermont’s natural environments, vibrant communities, productive working landscapes, rural character and unique sense of place, and prepares the state for future challenges and opportunities.

  2. Jamey touched on 30 by 30 (Act 59) and the involvement of the current use program. The vision of Act 59 is to create strategies to maintain working and recreational lands. The inventory process has been completed and the planning process is now beginning on how to implement the goals. Act 59 recognized all land operations and is meant to be an inclusive process as the State needs a sweep of diverse land to support future resiliency.

  3. Jamey mentioned that the inclusion of current use would take the initiative off of Act 59 as we would quickly meet the goals. This land is not durable and there is the ability to take it out of current use/preservation. The land within current use will be represented in the plan but not directly counted towards conservation goals. There will be a robust stakeholder process through phase 2 of Act 59 where all perspectives will be heard.