More than a week after widespread flooding devastated regions of Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott has further eased state regulations with the goal of expediting recovery efforts.
Scott made the changes by twice updating an executive order originally issued last week — first on Wednesday and then again Thursday.
In the first addendum, the governor ordered Vermont’s Department of Motor Vehicles to extend license and registration renewals, as well as temporary registration certificates and plates, for 60 days after their effective expiration date.
Scott ordered the Agency of Natural Resources to waive production and fuel-use limits for hot-mix asphalt plants, as workers rush to repair hundreds of miles of washed-out roads. He also extended operating hours for the Coventry Landfill and transfer station.
Wednesday’s addendum further ordered the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Safety to waive typical rules in order to issue temporary licenses, certifications and registrations for oil heat technicians, propane technicians, plumbers, electricians and other professions regulated by the division.
In the second addendum, signed Thursday, Scott directed Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas to temporarily waive certain professional regulation requirements.
The order allows the Secretary of State’s Office to issue temporary licenses to a variety of professionals licensed in other states — including pharmacists, architects, engineers, foresters, surveyors, inspectors, contractors, water treatment designers, well drillers, security professionals and others.
Thursday’s addendum also directs the Secretary of State’s Office to allow pharmacists to extend prescriptions for up to 30 days in certain cases.
Scott and Copeland Hanzas each issued statements thanking the other for working together on the changes to professional regulations.
Paul Heintz contributed reporting.
