The Environmental Protection Division provides legal services to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (“AAFM”).
Division attorneys represent AAFM in court or quasi-judicial proceedings convened outside of the Agency. Those proceedings include:
- Act 250 (AAFM is a statutory party to all Act 250 proceedings)
- Public Utility Commission (AAFM participates or intervenes on a case-by-case basis)
- Court-based enforcement where AAFM seeks civil penalties or injunctive relief
- Appeals to the Superior Court or Supreme Court from AAFM administrative actions
- Collections or other legal actions based on outstanding administrative or civil penalties owed to AAFM, including breach of contract;
- Foreclosure of conservation easements, bankruptcy on conserved farms, defense of civil suits; and
- Complex administrative declaratory rulings.
Division attorneys may also represent AAFM in unique or non-routine administrative licensing and enforcement matters conducted under the Vermont Administrative Procedures Act (“VAPA”).
Division attorneys may also provide general advice and counsel to the Secretary of AAFM and AAFM staff as necessary.
For more information about the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, please visit the Agency’s website.
For more information on the Environmental Protection Division working cooperatively with the Agency of Agriculture and Agency of Natural Resources in the area of agricultural water quality, please visit the Attorney General’s Office’s Agricultural Water Quality website.