§ 4752. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

(1) “Agency” means the Agency of Natural Resources.

(2) “Bond Bank” means the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank established by section 4571 of this title.

(3) “Municipality” means any city, town, village, town school district, incorporated school district, union school district, or other school district, fire district, consolidated sewer district, consolidated water district, solid waste district, or statewide or regional water quality utility or mechanism organized under laws of the State.

(4) “Municipal bond” means a bond or note or evidence of debt constituting a general obligation of a municipality.

(5) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Natural Resources or his or her authorized representative.

(6) “Noncommunity water system” shall have the same meaning as in 10 V.S.A. § 1671.

(7) “Privately owned water system” means any water system that is not owned or operated by a municipality.

(8) “Community water system” shall have the same meaning as in 10 V.S.A. § 1671.

(9) “Public water supply systems” means a public water system as that term is defined in 10 V.S.A. § 1671, except for bottled water facilities and for-profit noncommunity systems, which includes water systems, water treatment plants, structures, pipe lines, storage facilities, pumps, and attendant facilities necessary to develop a source of water, and to treat and convey it in proper quantity and quality.

(10) [Repealed.]

(11) “Clean water project” means “water pollution abatement and control facilities,” as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 1571, and such equipment, conveyances, structural or nonstructural facilities, and natural resources projects that are needed for and appurtenant to the prevention, management, treatment, storage, or disposal of stormwater, sewage, or waste, or that provide water quality benefits, including a wastewater treatment facility, combined sewer separation facilities, an indirect discharge system, a wastewater system, flood resiliency work related to a structural facility, or a groundwater protection project.

(12) “Disadvantaged municipality” means a municipality or the served area of a municipality that:

(A) has a median household income below the State average median household income as determined by the Secretary and that, after construction of the proposed water supply improvements, will have an annual household user cost greater than one percent of the median household income as determined by the Secretary; or

(B) has a median household income equal to or greater than the State average median household income as determined by the Secretary and that, after construction of the proposed water supply improvements, will have an annual household user cost greater than 2.5 percent of the median household income as determined by the Secretary.

(13) “Potable water supply” shall have the same meaning as in 10 V.S.A. § 1972.

(14) “Sewage” shall have the same meaning as used in section 3501 of this chapter.

(15) “Stormwater” shall have the same meaning as stormwater runoff in section 1264 of this title.

(16) “Waste” shall have the same meaning as used in 10 V.S.A. § 1251.

(17) “Designer” means a person authorized to design wastewater systems and potable water supplies as identified in 10 V.S.A. § 1975.

(18) “Natural resources project” means a project to protect, conserve, or restore natural resources, including the acquisition of easements and land, for the purpose of providing water quality benefits.

(19) “Sponsorship program” means an arrangement in which natural resources projects are paired with water pollution abatement and control facilities projects, as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 1571, for the purposes of water quality improvement. Under the sponsorship program, a municipality may obtain a loan for both a natural resources project and a water pollution abatement and control facilities project. The loan rate and terms shall be adjusted to forgive all or a portion of the natural resources project over the life of the loan. Only municipalities and nonprofit organizations may receive funds under a sponsorship program.

(20) “Hardship municipality” means a municipality served by a municipally owned public community water system that:

(A) has a residential population of 250 or less;

(B) has an annual household user cost that exceeds $1,000.00 or 1.5 percent of the median household income after construction of the water supply improvements project as determined by the Secretary; and

(C) requires improvements to address an imminent public health hazard or a substantial threat to public health as determined by the Secretary. (Added 1987, No. 75, § 1; amended 1987, No. 76, § 18; 1989, No. 30, § 8, eff. April 27, 1989; 1989, No. 276 (Adj. Sess.), § 36, eff. June 20, 1990; 1997, No. 62, § 66, eff. June 26, 1997; 1999, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 51, eff. May 24, 2000; 2011, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 30, eff. May 14, 2012; 2015, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 25, eff. May 12, 2016; 2017, No. 168 (Adj. Sess.), § 20, eff. May 22, 2018; 2017, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 28, 2018; 2017, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 19; 2019, No. 72, § E.700.)