(A) To the Vermont housing and conservation board for Champion land acquisition and affordable housing $5,500,000
(i) Of this appropriation, $4,500,000 shall be used to purchase and ensure that the lands commonly referred to as the Champion lands in northeastern Vermont are conserved as a working forest for the sustainable production of wood products, for natural resources, including the maintenance of wildlife habitat and conservation of identified natural heritage sites, and for perpetual public access for traditional recreational uses. The Vermont housing and conservation board and its grantees, through easements and through agreements with its state, federal and private partners, shall permanently protect the following uses:
(I) Camp leases. On state lands renewal shall be for the life of the leaseholder or, in the event of the leaseholder's death, renewal by immediate family members for not more than 20 years. The state shall make a special effort to repair the roads, whenever possible, on state-owned land and annually shall file a report with the general assembly and the municipality describing any road maintenance performed during the year. In the event of extreme erosion due to natural causes on a road leading to a camp, the department of fish and wildlife shall fix the roads if funding is available for the purpose. Camp owners shall be responsible for maintaining driveways to their respective camps. Lease payments on land which is owned and managed by the department of fish and wildlife shall be set aside for road maintenance on department of fish and wildlife property. Further the Vermont housing and conservation board shall negotiate aggressively and dil ame [sic?] or greater protections as are provided to camp holders on state lands, and to provide for free access thereto.
(II) Recreation. Use of land for traditional and lawful recreational uses, including boating, fishing, trapping, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, bird watching, hiking, biking, hunting, including training and using hunting dogs, equestrian uses, and other currently allowed forms of traditional recreational uses.
(III) Land Management. Maintaining working forest lands through a "working forest" easement that includes privately-owned and managed lands for sustainable production and harvesting of timber and other forest products, and perpetual public access. These easements will be designed to meet the economic objectives of timber investors and allow harvesting net growth once the forest is restocked.
(ii) With respect to lands commonly referred to as the Champion lands, the agency of natural resources, in a manner consistent with other statutory obligations and authority, shall:
(I) Renew Camp Leases. Renew those leases located on state lands for the life of the leaseholder or, in the event of the leaseholder's death, allow renewal by immediate family members for not more than 20 years.
(II) Plan and Involve the Community. Involve Vermont citizens and municipalities in developing and updating every 10 years a long-term comprehensive plan for management of portions of the lands which are transferred to it.
(III) Collaborate with Federal Agencies. Work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to ensure that management plans for all state and federally-owned portions of the lands are coordinated. The agency shall seek, through this collaboration, to include renewal of camp leases for the life of the leaseholder or, in the event of the leaseholder's death, to include renewal by immediate family members for not more than 20 years; and to assure the use of land for traditional and lawful recreational uses, including boating, fishing, trapping, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, bird watching, hiking, biking, hunting, including training and using hunting dogs, equestrian uses, and other currently allowed forms of traditional recreational uses.
(IV) Water Reclassification and Designation. Allow traditional recreational uses and logging, if conducted in accordance with acceptable management practices and applicable state and federal laws.
(iii) Consistent with this subdivision, the agency of natural resources and its departments are authorized to convey to the Vermont housing and conservation board and the Vermont Land Trust a conservation and public access easement protecting the natural resources on and assuring public access to that portion of land commonly referred to as the Champion lands, which the Conservation Fund intends to convey to the agency.