In October 2011, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that the City of Montpelier had no authority to prohibit recreational uses on the Pond — a ruling that ended more than 100 years of Montpelier’s control of the pond.
In due course the Montpelier City Council and the City’s representative in the Vermont House went to the Legislature to seek state authority to regulate the pond.
The City shall have the authority to regulate its public water supply and public water sources in order to protect the water supply and sources from corruption.
The city’s water supply sources include Berlin Pond in the Town of Berlin.
According to Rep. Warren Kitzmiller who has consistently advocated for Montpelier’s control of the pond — H.6 — the bill that would grant the City the authority to regulate the Pond is still “on the wall” in the committee room.
Some will argue that it’s wise, that it may be in the best interest of the City of Montpelier to attend the working group meeting, seek common ground, get the best deal we can get with the Town of Berlin, the State of Vermont and the sporting organizations that have pressed to open the pond.
We’ve lost an irreplaceable resource, protected for more than 100 years.
Will the State of Vermont pay?
Or the Town of Berlin.
About Montpelier’s Berlin Pond Drinking Water Supply Vermont lakes/ponds available for fishing & boating: 263,000 acres Vermont towns/cities served by small pond for their drinking water supply: 11 towns with 10 percent of Vermont’s population.