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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont Requires Forest Commissioner to Plan for Reducing Delayed State Forest Timber Harvests
Last action · March 14, 2025: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and ForestrySponsor: John O'Brien
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What This Bill Would Do
Vermont lawmakers introduced a bill requiring the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation to develop a plan and submit a report on reducing delayed s on .
The measure compels state forestry officials to evaluate staffing needs, private contracting options, and potential job creation to clear forestry backlogs.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
The Department must develop a harvest status report, evaluate staffing levels, and consider contracting with private foresters.
licensed private foresters
The Commissioner must evaluate whether these professionals could be contracted to conduct work reducing delayed timber harvests.
Key Facts
- The bill requires the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation to develop a plan to reduce the number of delayed timber harvests on State Forest lands.
- The report must include a status summary of timber harvests, listing uncompleted harvests past their initial scheduled date and the reasons for delays.
- The Commissioner must propose methods to reduce delays, including assessing whether the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation needs additional staff.
- The report must address whether the state can contract with licensed private foresters to complete necessary work.
Show all 6 facts
- The Commissioner must estimate the costs and benefits of the plan, including the number of harvesting jobs that could be created at delayed sites.
- The completed report must be submitted to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is required to develop the timber harvest reduction plan?
Which legislative committees will receive the report?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Mar 14, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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