Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, § 1087

For any proposal subject to authorization under section 1082 of this title, the Department shall require an engineer to investigate the property, review the plans and specifications, and make additional investigations as the Department considers necessary to ensure that the project adequately provides for the public safety. The engineer conducting an investigation under this section shall be an employee of the Department or shall be operating under the supervision of the Department as an independent consultant hired by either the Department or the project proponent. The engineer shall report the engineer’s findings to the Department.