Environment

Vermont's H.70 would add land enrolled in the state's Use Value Appraisal Program to the official "conserved land" inventory. This program allows landowners to pay lower property taxes in exchange for maintaining agricultural or forest land. The bill updates legal definitions so this land counts toward Vermont's conservation goals of protecting 30% and 50% of land by 2030 and 2050, respectively. It directly affects landowners in the Use Value Appraisal Program and state conservation planning efforts. The law would take effect on July 1, 2025.