State law allows and encourages local enforcement through judicial bureau (24 V.S.A. 2201). Here’s what your town can do to help reduce illegal burning and the associated human and environmental health risks:

1. You can choose to enforce the state statute by designating a municipal designee or designees as the statutory enforcement officer. See the Vermont State Statute 24 V.S.A. 2201 for details: Click Here.

2. You can choose to write and adopt your own ordinance. These three sample ordinances from CVSWMD member towns may offer some guidance:

• Bradford, VT ordinance
• Washington, VT ordinance
• Marshfield, VT ordinance
• Vermont League of Cities and Towns sample ordinance

Ad #2 of a six-part ad series the CVSWMD has run in area newspapers to highlight the dangers of illegal burning.

The person(s) or position(s) responsible for enforcement of the state statute or the town ordinance is selected by the town. Some towns give enforcement authority to members of the town Selectboard, the Town Health Officer, the Town Attorney, and /or the Town Constable. The process outlined in the ordinance is followed in addressing the offender and remedying the situation.

Because the District’s goal is effective reduction of illegal burning incidences, we see the adoption of a local ordinance as the best way to reach that goal. The state requires the town or solid waste district to take responsibility for enforcing the law against illegal burning.

If towns choose to leave the enforcement responsibility to the District, the goal of reducing illegal burning may not be met. With 22 geographically diverses member towns, the District simply can’t enforce against illegal burning as quickly and efficiently as an official within the town where it occurs. In addition, leaving this to District staff may require an increase in the per capita that member towns pay the District to help fund this additional service.

The District Board of Supervisors and staff are available to help you develop an effective response to illegal burning in your community.

Ad #1 of a six-part ad series the CVSWMD has run in area newspapers to highlight the dangers of illegal burning.

The people who burn garbage and the families who live next door and downwind receive the most direct contact to the toxins emitted into the air they breathe. And the impact doesn’t stop there. Burning garbage pollutes the air and water and affects the people and wildlife throughout the region (see the Illegal Burning section under Resident Services for more information).

Illegal burning is a serious human and environmental health threat. The State of Vermont takes this very seriously and is requiring solid waste districts and towns to take action to enforce against it.

The CVSWMD Board of Supervisors believes that local enforcement is the most effective way to combat illegal burning. Thanks to a grant from the VT Agency of Natural Resources, CVSWMD staff and board members contacted all CVSWMD member towns about illegal burning ordinance options and to encourage the adoption of local ordinances, and member towns were asked to complete surveys detailing their town’s decision.

• Survey Results
• Ordinances — Information and Samples

During this process, several towns requested that the CVSWMD provide the template for a letter that they could send to residents who have been illegally burning trash. For towns with an approved illegal burning ordinance, or a designated enforcement officer to enforce the VT State Statute (24 VSA 2201), the following letter template can be used to notify residents of their infractions against the town ordinance and/or the state law, and the fines associated with further infractions. We hope this template letter can be used to help make enforcing against illegal burning easier for your town.

• Enforcement Letter Template