The 10 Criteria are the specific standards that District Environmental Commissions must use to evaluate every development and subdivision application that falls under Act 250. The 10 Criteria focus on projected impacts on air and water quality, water supplies, traffic, local schools and services, municipal costs, historic and natural resources, including scenic beauty, impacts of growth, and municipal and regional plans.
A complete description of the 10 Criteria is available from the Vermont Statutes Online 10 V.S.A. §6086. In addition, we provide our District Environmental Commissioners a Training Manual that covers the 10 Criteria (see Section B in District Commissioner Training Manual). You can also contact our Act 250 District Office staff if you have any questions.
- Criterion 1: Air and water pollution
- 1(A): Headwaters
- 1(B): Waste disposal
- 1(C): Water conservation
- 1(D): Floodways
- 1(E): Streams
- 1(F): Shorelines
- 1(G): Wetlands
- Criterion 2: Water supply
- Criterion 3: Impact on water supply
- Criterion 4: Erosion and capacity of soil to hold water
- Criterion 5: Transportation
- 5(A): Traffic
- 5(B): Transportation
- Criterion 6: Educational services
- Criterion 7: Municipal services
- Criterion 8: Aesthetics, scenic and natural beauty
- Historic sites
- Historic sites - archeology
- Rare and irreplaceable natural areas
- 8(A): Necessary wildlife habitat
- Criterion 9
- 9(A): Impact of growth
- 9(B): Primary agricultural soils
- 9(C): Productive forest soils
- 9(D): Earth resources
- 9(E): Extraction of earth resources
- 9(F): Energy conservation
- 9(G): Private utility services
- 9(H): Costs of scattered development
- 9(J): Public utility services
- 9(K): Public investments
- 9(L): Settlement patterns (formerly "Rural growth areas")
- Criterion 10: Local and regional plans