ANR must act quickly on wakesports rules
Vermont faces a clear choice: protect our lakes and lake users now, or wait until irreparable harm caused by wakesports is done.
The debate over wakesports regulation amendments proposed by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) should not be about technicalities. It should be about whether we, and specifically the ANR, are willing to safeguard our lakes that help define Vermont’s natural beauty, environment, economy, and way of life for current and future generations.
The proposed rules’ 500-foot buffer from other lake users, 3,000-foot wake surfing run, and 100-acre minimum wakesports zone are common-sense safeguards that will prohibit wakesports on 13 additional small lakes, including Lake Fairlee. Public input is clear. Comments submitted during the rulemaking process indicate that about 80% favor these stronger lake and lake user protections. Vermonters want these rules in place this summer.
The public comments are filled with first-hand accounts describing safety conflicts caused by wakesports, conflicts that, if reported, could constitute rule violations. This past summer’s low number of formal complaints reflects limited enforcement and underreporting, not an absence of conflicts. In the presence of wakesports, many lake users feel unsafe and are forced to alter their behavior or leave the water altogether.
Other comments link wakesports to broader impacts, including shoreline erosion, habitat disruption, degraded water quality, and property damage. Proponents argue there is insufficient Vermont-specific or peer-reviewed science, but this standard would paralyze environmental policy. Waiting for perfect, localized evidence means acting only after damage is done. That is not responsible stewardship; it is negligence.
ANR’s mission is to protect, sustain, and enhance Vermont’s natural resources. The risks of doing too little are long-lasting and possibly irreversible: increased lake user conflicts, degraded shorelines, and water quality. These considerable risks clearly outweigh the relatively minor inconvenience imposed on a small number of wake boaters by limiting wakesports to Vermont’s largest lakes.
I urge the ANR to act promptly so updated protections are in place for the 2026 boating season.