Vermont S 113: An act relating to requiring gas stations and convenience stores to provide notice to customers of holds on payment at the point of sale

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.113
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VT LEG #380659 v.3
S.113 1
Introduced by Senator Harrison 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Agency of Transportation; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; 5
licensing; request for conditions; bridges; maintenance 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 7
Agency of Transportation to request conditions as part of the federal 8
relicensing of the Bellows Falls Hydroelectric Project that would require the 9
dam owner or operator to contribute to costs associated with maintaining 10
publicly owned bridges crossing the canal that supplies water to the facility. 11
An act relating to requiring the Agency of Transportation to request 12
conditions in relation to the relicensing of the Bellows Falls Hydroelectric 13
Project 14
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 15
Sec. 1. BELLOWS FALLS PROJECT HYDROELECTRIC DAM; AGENCY 16
OF TRANSPORTATION; FEDERAL RELICENSING; REQUEST 17
FOR CONDITIONS 18
(a) The Agency of Transportation shall, as soon as practicable, submit 19
comments, recommendations, and proposed terms and conditions to the 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.113
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VT LEG #380659 v.3
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding the relicensing of Project 1
No. 1855-050, the Bellows Falls Hydroelectric Project (the Project). 2
(b) The Agency shall specifically request that the license for the Project 3
include terms and conditions that would require the owner or operator of the 4
Project to develop a plan for, and contribute to, the cost of repairs, 5
maintenance, and, if necessary, replacement of publicly owned bridges that 6
cross the power canal that supplies water to the Project. 7
(c) The Agency’s filing shall include evidence and facts supporting the 8
inclusion of the terms and conditions described in subsection (b) of this 9
section, including that: 10
(1) the power canal currently serves no purpose other than providing 11
water necessary for the operation of the Project, which could not produce 12
electricity without the water supplied by the power canal; 13
(2) the power canal creates a physical barrier that separates the island 14
from the rest of the Village of Bellows Falls and the Town of Rockingham; 15
(3) the bridges across the canal are necessary to the physical and 16
socioeconomic activity on the island in the Village of Bellows Falls, including 17
access to: 18
(A) the Connecticut River and cultural sites, including a petroglyph 19
site, lithic site, and Native American burial site; and 20

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VT LEG #380659 v.3
(B) rail and transit facilities that serve the Village of Bellows Falls, 1
Town of Rockingham, and surrounding communities; 2
(4) economic redevelopment efforts are planned for the island, including 3
mixed-use developments and the reconnection of Bellows Falls, Vermont, to 4
Walpole, New Hampshire, via the Vilas Bridge; and 5
(5) the bridges are critical to ensuring adequate regular and emergency 6
access to businesses, structures, landmarks, and activities on the island, as well 7
as future residents of the island. 8
(d) The Agency of Transportation shall provide a copy of all materials that 9
it submits to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to the House and 10
Senate Committees on Transportation. 11
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 12
This act shall take effect on passage. 13