| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.473 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2025 Page 1 of 1 | |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 5 | VT LEG #381255 v.1 | |
| 6 | 6 | H.473 1 | |
| 7 | 7 | SHORT FORM 2 | |
| 8 | 8 | Introduced by Representative Austin of Colchester 3 | |
| 9 | 9 | Referred to Committee on 4 | |
| 10 | 10 | Date: 5 | |
| 11 | 11 | Subject: Fish and wildlife; wildlife reintroduction; catamount 6 | |
| 12 | 12 | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 7 | |
| 13 | 13 | Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct a feasibility study of the 8 | |
| 14 | 14 | reintroduction of the puma concolor, commonly referred to as the cougar or 9 | |
| 15 | 15 | catamount, into the State of Vermont. The feasibility study would address how 10 | |
| 16 | 16 | the catamount would be reintroduced, the locations in the State suitable for 11 | |
| 17 | 17 | reintroduction, how to manage conflicts between humans and reintroduced 12 | |
| 18 | 18 | catamount, a metric for determining success of reintroduction, an estimated 13 | |
| 19 | 19 | timeline for reintroduction, and an estimated cost of reintroduction. The 14 | |
| 20 | 20 | Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife would be required to submit the results of 15 | |
| 21 | 21 | the feasibility study to the House Committee on Environment and the Senate 16 | |
| 22 | 22 | Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on or before January 1, 2027. 17 | |
| 23 | 23 | An act relating to the reintroduction of catamounts to the State of Vermont 18 | |
| 24 | 24 | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 19 | |
| 25 | 25 | (TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS) 20 |