This commentary is by Meg Handler of Hinesburg, whose memberships include Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes, Hinesburg Conservation Commission, Hinesburg Land Trust and Lake Iroquois Conservation Group.
Vermont enjoys a glowing reputation for good environmental practices. All across the country, people assume Vermont will Do the Right Thing when it comes to environmental decision-making. Here at home, we trust that someone will be there to safeguard our clean air, clean water and open land.
This assumption makes us content. But it also makes us complacent.
Vermont’s green reputation is currently not working to protect the state from a new, destructive form of recreation — wake boating.
While relatively uncommon in Vermont right now, nationally wake boats are the fastest-growing segment of the motorboat industry. They are designed to throw a wake the size of an ocean wave, so people can surf anywhere.
Waves generated by wake boats damage shorelines, churn up sediment, spread invasive species, and terrorize people trying to swim, paddle, sail or otherwise enjoy the lakes.
In March 2022, Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes petitioned the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources seeking regulation of wake sports. Under the Responsible Wakes proposal, wake sports would be confined to wake sport zones of at least 60 acres in size, more than 20 feet in depth and at least 1,000 feet from shore.
The state responded by coming up with its own weakened rule of at least 50 acres, more than 20 feet in depth and only 500 feet from shore. That is not adequate protection for Vermont’s most vulnerable lakes and ponds. 500 feet from shore is not enough. Faced with the opportunity for meaningful environmental protection, the state chose instead to settle for an ineffective rule.
Responsible Wakes brought its petition on behalf of 14 specific named lakes, chosen for their size, location, and popularity — factors that make them especially vulnerable to abuse by wake boats. These are small lakes, often heavily used for traditional lake recreation, just barely big enough to entice boaters. Examples include Shadow Lake (210 acres) and Lake Iroquois, right in the heart of Chittenden County (243 acres). Forty-five organizations and more than a thousand citizens have signed on in support of these petitioning lakes.
The state’s weakened 500-foot rule excludes from adequate protection a majority of these petitioning lakes.
Under the Responsible Wakes proposed rule, 19 of Vermont’s larger lakes and ponds (over 300,000 acres in total) would still allow wake sport activity in designated wake sport zones 1,000 feet from shore. These 19 lakes are large enough to allow wake boat waves to dissipate, and to permit paddlers, swimmers, anglers, sailors and others to safely enjoy their activities. Vermont’s smallest lakes would be fully protected from damage caused by wakesports.
Under the state’s rule, many more lakes and ponds would allow wake sport activity in designated wake sport zones, just 500 feet from shore. Since Vermont has over 800 lakes and ponds, the number of lakes allowing wake boats might seem sufficiently limited, given that hundreds would still be fully “protected” by the new rule. However, any such defense of the state’s rule is highly misleading.
In fact, only 73 lakes in Vermont currently allow motorboats operating over 5 mph. The other 700-plus are already fully protected. Even among the 73 lakes allowing motorsports, many are small, shallow ponds obviously inappropriate and rarely, if ever, visited by wake boats. Such ponds are not particularly at risk for excessive wake sport activity.
Thus, the state creates the illusion of a solution without the reality of significant change.
The lakes most vulnerable to abuse by wake boats are those lakes right in the middle, not large enough to tolerate massive waves, but not small enough for the state’s rule to ban wake sport activity altogether. In other words, precisely those lakes initiating the petition.
The state has effectively abandoned these petitioning lakes. As a result, under the state’s rule, wake sports would explicitly be welcomed. This was certainly never the intent.
In fact, wake boats would now be granted privileged status to dominate these lakes, claiming the deepest areas often barely 500 feet from shore. Without a strong rule, more and more wake boats will arrive in Vermont, as the industry aggressively markets powerful new watercraft. This has already happened in many other states.
The state’s rule includes no margin of error to accommodate future growth. Water quality will steadily decline, along with the health and enjoyment of Vermont’s lakes.
Vermont deserves better!
It is frustrating and disheartening to hear the familiar “it’s better than nothing” argument used in defense of an inadequate rule. Wake sports must be regulated thoughtfully to preserve our lakes and ponds for future generations.
The state is preparing to hold its last series of public hearings on this rule on Aug. 1 in-person in Montpelier, and on Aug. 3 online. Written comments will be accepted until Aug. 10 at anr.wsmdlakes@vermont.gov. Connect to responsblewakes.org for the latest instructions on submitting comments and participating in the public hearings.
Vermont’s green reputation is no protection. Please show up to advocate for a minimum of 1,000 feet from shore for all wake sports.
