Stonnwaler and Sediment 



***Revise wetlands regulations to include clear policy statements and 

 review criteria to be applied to proposed alterations to wetlands, regarding: 



a) definition of wetland values to be used in designating weUand buffer areas (to 

 include resource and habitat value, scarcity of the wetiand resource type, rare and 

 endangered species, potential cumulative effects, etc); 



b) definitions of applicable buffer area jurisdictions to be based on these values, using 

 a sliding scale from a minimum of : 50 feet from the edge of a marsh, pond or bog; 

 100/200 feet of riverbank wedands depending on the size of the watercourse; and 

 100 feet of an intermittent stream; 



c) definitions of applicable resource areas affecting buffers including areas: within 100 

 feet of the edge of a buffer surrounding a marsh, pond or bog; within 100/200 feet 

 of a buffer surrounding a riverbank wetiand (depending on the size of the 

 watercourse); and within 100 feet of an intermittent stream buffer area 

 (Massachusetts regulates areas influencing buffers and requires restoration of buffer 

 areas affected by activities in these influencing areas); 



d) definitions of die term "minimal or no disturbance" to be allowed in such areas; 



e) specific means and methodologies to be used in deciding which applications will be 

 subject to review of cumulative effects; what means and measurements will be used 

 to evaluate cumulative effects; and what mitigating measures will be required. 

 Criteria should include clear standards of evaluation regarding hydrologic 

 modification, loadings of sediment/turbidity, and input of toxics which would 

 facilitate evaluation of cumulative effects. (Such methodologies are cuirendy 

 applied in Maine, in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and in odier jurisdictions.) 



f) specific technical issues to be considered in drawing distinctions between significant 



and insignificant alterations with regard to work that may affect the setback area of 

 wedands or may affect floodplains. 



Technical criteria should include clear standards of evaluation regarding hydrologic 

 modification, loadings of sediment/turbidity, and input of toxics which would facilitate 

 classification of alterations and evaluation of cumulative effects. 



**Revise wetiand regulations to state specifically under what conditions floodplain 

 analyses will be required, referencing: a) effect on potential floodplain areas; b) effect on 

 existing watershed flood storage capability; c) effect on flood hazard vulnerability of 

 surrounding development 



**Identify and predesignate wedands that protect priority waters from non-point source 

 runoff under Section 404 (c) of the Clean Water Act 



***As recommended by the Wetlands Task Force, consider establishing an 

 outside administration-level academic review board which could provide 

 policy guidance, technical assistance to staff, and expert input to contested 

 impact evaluations. For example, the review committee could provide written 

 determinations where a staff biologist felt that a project was of a unique character not 

 amenable to standard evaluation procedures, or raising issues not adequately addressed by 



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