Wetland Section

Adoption of wetlands ordinance by local unit of government.

Wetland section. The term waters of the u s pdf has broad meaning and incorporates both deep water aquatic habitats and special aquatic sites including wetlands. Mitigation wetlands and streams provide important environmental functions including protecting and improving water quality and providing habitat to fish and wildlife. Not specifically a wetland protection law.

The wetlands protection act. It governs the placement of dredged or fill material into wetlands and other waters of the united states. The us army corps of engineers corps has jurisdiction to issue permits for discharge into wetlands and streams under section 10 of the rivers and harbors act and section 404 of the clean water act cwa.

Processing wetland use applications. Learn about the cwa section 404 permit program. Staff within these programs administers their respective programs in relation to permitting compliance and outreach.

The wetlands program section 401 wqc and isolated wetlands is part of the wetlands and storm water section within the office of water quality. This section defines the term waters of the u s as it applies to the jurisdictional limits of the authority of the usace under the clean water act cwa. The figure below shows the jurisdictional boundaries under each of these laws.

Authority to enact virginia water protection vwp permit regulations is given by 62 1 44 15 20 of the code of virginia. How wetlands are defined and identified under cwa section 404 wetlands are areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support and that under normal circumstances do support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Section 401 of the federal clean water act provides the state authority to approve condition or deny proposed projects in waters of the u s including wetlands to ensure they meet state water quality standards.

These regulations establish procedures for conservation commissions and massdep to follow in issuing permits for work in areas protected under the wetlands protection act. Our nrcs responsibility is limited to informing landowners that a 404 permit may be required for a given action. Massachusetts general laws chapter 131 section 40.