§ 1415 - Interim groundwater withdrawal permit - Vermont Statutes

§ 1415. Interim groundwater withdrawal permit

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "Groundwater" means water below the land surface.

(2) "Person" means any individual, partnership, company, corporation, cooperative, association, unincorporated association, joint venture, trust, the state of Vermont or any department, agency, subdivision, or municipality, the United States government or any department, agency, or subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity.

(3) "Withdraw" means the removal of groundwater by any method or instrument.

(b) No person shall withdraw more than 50,000 gallons of groundwater a day from a well drilled after July 1, 2006, for commercial or industrial purposes without first receiving from the secretary of natural resources an interim groundwater withdrawal permit under this section. Prior to issuance of a permit under this section:

(1) The secretary shall determine that such withdrawal meets the applicable requirements of section 1675 of this title and any applicable rules adopted thereunder or the requirements adopted pursuant to subsection (e) of this section; and

(2) the applicant shall submit to the Vermont state geologist and the department of environmental conservation a geologic cross section and groundwater contour map of an area, the size of which shall be in conformance with appendix A, part 3, subsection 3.3.5.2 of the Vermont water supply rule, surrounding the proposed source of the groundwater withdrawal.

(c) Groundwater withdrawal by a public water system, as that term is defined in section 1671 of this title, or for use for fire safety, agriculture, agricultural or dairy processing, dewatering operations during building construction, geothermal energy production, or public sanitation shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.

(d) A permit issued under this section shall be valid for the period of time specified in the permit but not more than five years.

(e) The secretary of natural resources may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section and to establish criteria for the issuance of a permit under section 1675 of this title for commercial or industrial groundwater withdrawals from a well drilled after July 1, 2006. (Added 2005, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)