Skip to main content
An Official Vermont Government Website

Administrative Policies - Policy 0031

State of Vermont
Agency of Administration
Department of Buildings & General Services

Policy 0031

Title: Contact Protocols

  1. Safety & Environmental Emergencies
  2. Regulatory Enforcement Actions
  3. Land Use Permit Issues

Date of Issue: October 3, 2003
Supersedes: Initial Policy

PURPOSE

To provide a procedure for prompt, coordinated, and comprehensive response by BGS employees to (1) safety and environmental emergencies, (2) regulatory enforcement actions, and (3) land use permit issues.

POLICY

It is the policy of this department to respond aggressively to safety and environmental emergencies, to regulatory enforcement actions and to land use permit issues.

  1. Safety & Environmental Emergencies
  • In the event of an environmental or occupational health emergency (accident, spills, fire, indoor air quality (IAQ) event) immediately:
  • Start evacuation and containment procedures, as appropriate.
  • Call Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and/or a cleanup crew, in addition to any appropriate authority (such as the Agency of Natural Resources [ANR] in the event of a spill).
  • Call the Coordinator of Environmental Safety and Occupational Health of the Risk Management Division of BGS (Mike Blanchet at 828-4616)
  • Call your Supervisor, any appropriate Managers, and the Director of Insurance Programs of the Risk Management Division of BGS (Bill Duchac at 828-4671).
  • Call the Staff Attorney (Stacy Butler at 828-5945) to report the incident. Please also fax or hand deliver copies of any documents related to legal matters to the Staff Attorney.s attention (fax to 828-3533), immediately upon receipt either during or after the incident.
     
  1. Regulatory Enforcement Actions

If you are notified by Agency of Natural Resources. departments, Labor & Industry, or local boards, commissions, or officers of a regulatory violation or enforcement action immediately notify your supervisor and report it to the Staff Attorney (Jeff Lively @ 828-5945). Please also fax or hand deliver copies of any documents related to legal matters to the Staff Attorney.s attention (fax to 828-3533), immediately upon receipt either during or after the incident The Supervisor and/or the Staff Attorney shall then immediately notify the Commissioner.
 

  1. Land Use Permit Issues

When permitting a project, provide copies of all approvals, denials or any other correspondence with the Zoning Administrator, Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), Development Review Board (DRB) or Planning Commission to the Staff Attorney (Stacy Butler @ 828-5945; fax @ 828-3533) immediately upon receipt. This includes all decisions of Zoning Administrators, including when they check a box on an application to refer a project to a ZBA or DRB for review. If we need to appeal a decision, we have 15 days from the date of a zoning administrator's decision and 30 days from the date of a decision of a ZBA, DRB or Planning Commission to appeal.

If you receive a notice of violation or enforcement action for a local permit (including letters that vaguely warn of a potential violation) immediately follow the notice protocol in Part B for Regulatory Enforcement Actions, directly above.

Any legal questions about state or local land use permit compliance should go to the Staff Attorney (Jeff Lively at 828-5945) and any questions on technical aspects of "scientific" permits (air quality, water & wastewater systems, hazardous materials) should go to the Chief of Engineering (Dave Burley at 828-5643) and/or the Coordinator of Environmental Safety and Occupational Health, (Mike Blanchet at 828-4616).

Department Approval:  Thomas W. Torti, Commissioner

Agency Approval Required:  Michael K. Smith, Secretary