H.789 – Forest Integrity Bill (2nd reading)

Pro-environment vote: YES

This bill encouraged better local and regional planning for intact, healthy forests and wildlife habitat. It added the goals of maintaining forest blocks and habitat connectivity to town and regional planning; took steps to maintain rural working lands; called for a study group to examine ways to help landowners plan for the long-term ownership of their forests; and created a committee to recommend potential revisions to Act 250 and municipal bylaws to protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity.

Status: Enacted (language added to H.857 in the Senate); House vote 105-29.