[SEMCO] new regs effective Oct 24th!!!

Wed Oct 22 20:52:10 EDT 2014

MassDEP Adopts New Regulation Amendments - Effective October 24, 2014

As the last step the MassDEP's Regulation Reform Initiative, the Wetlands Program is pleased to announce that the final regulation revisions pertaining to the Wetland Protection and Water Quality Certification regulations. On October 24, 2014, the final regulations will be published in the Secretary of State's Massachusetts Register and will become effective as of that date.

After three years of extensive work in drafting regulation amendments with input from advisory committees and other stakeholders, conducting public hearings, reviewing and incorporating public comments, MassDEP has promulgated extensive revisions a number of environmental regulations culminating in revisions to: 314 CMR 9.00, 401 Water Quality Certification of the Massachusetts Clean Waters Act, M.G.L. c.21, §§26-53 and 310 CMR 10.00; Wetlands Protection Act MGL c. 131, s. 40. As part of this effort, prior amendments to the Waterways regulations, 310 CMR 9.00, under the Waterways Act MGL c.91 became effective in May 2014. The regulation changes are intended to save applicants, commissions, and MassDEP time and resources while maintaining fundamental environmental protections.

A Summary of these revisions with regulatory citations are located at: http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dep/water/resources/a-thru-m/macc2014wwregref.pdf

Following receipt of the official publication of by the Secretary of State's office, the regulations will be posted on the MassDEP website at: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/regulations/regulations-and-standards.html#12 .

Applicable Forms will be posted within the two weeks on MassDEP's website at: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/approvals/wetlands-and-waterways-forms.html

Regulatory Revision workshops in all four regions will be conducted in November:

·       Wednesday, November 12 - MassDEP Western Region, 10 am to 12:30 pm
            Ludlow Town Hall, 488 Chapin Street

·       Thursday, November 13 - MassDEP Northeast Regional Office, 10 am to 12:30 pm
        205B Lowell Street, Wilmington

·       Tuesday, November 18 - MassDEP Central Region, 10 am to 12:30 pm,

                                          MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Road

      Westborough, Southeast Conference Room

·       Thursday, November 20 - MassDEP Southeast Regional Office, 10 am to 12:30 pm

                    20 Riverside Drive, Lakeville

Contact your Regional Wetland Circuit Rider or Coordinator if you have questions or would like to request additional training workshops: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/watersheds/massdeps-wetlands-circuit-rider-program.html#GettoKnowYourRegionalCircuitRider

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                                                       ><<{{°>    ><<{{°>

Christine A. Odiaga, CPESC  |  Southeast Region "Circuit Rider"  |  MassDEP Wetlands Program  |  (508) 946-2836

*** Please consider NOT printing this list ***

·        NHESP MOVES BACK TO WESTBOROUGH - As of September 8, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Field Headquarters staff is back in operation in Westborough.  Phone numbers and email addresses for Field Headquarters staff will remain the same.  The street and mailing address is 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.

--- Public Comment Opportunities:
·        draft CHAPTER 91 SMALL DOCK & PIER GENERAL LICENSE - comments due by Oct 27 - www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/news/comment/public-hearing-schedule-for-small-dock-and-pier-general-license.html<http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/news/comment/public-hearing-schedule-for-small-dock-and-pier-general-license.html>

·        draft CAPE COD SECTION 208 PLAN - comments due by Nov 20th  - http://cape2o.org/main.html

·        draft 2014 MASSACUSETTS OCEAN MANAGEMENT PLAN - comments due by Nov 25 - www.mass.gov/eea/2014-draft-ocean-plan<http://www.mass.gov/eea/2014-draft-ocean-plan>

·        draft MASSACHUSETTS SMALL MS4 GENERAL PERMIT - comments due by Dec 29  - www.epa.gov/region1/npdes/stormwater/MS4_MA.html<http://www.epa.gov/region1/npdes/stormwater/MS4_MA.html>; 5 public information sessions around the Commonwealth (see below) will be followed by a PUBLIC HEARING on 19 Nov 2014 at 1 p.m. in Leominster.

--- Educational Opportunities:
·        SMALL MS4 PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS - Oct 27 at 8:30 a.m. in Lakeville (and 4 other dates & locations) - http://www.epa.gov/region1/npdes/stormwater/MS4_MA.html
·        MassBays workshops:  USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO TREAT & CONTROL STORMWATER IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES - FREE!! - www.surveymonkey.com/s/MassBaysworkshops<https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MassBaysworkshops> - Oct 28, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Barnstable; Oct 29, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Pembroke (optional site visit 1-2 p.m.); other dates in Danvers and Boston.

·        AMWS ANNUAL MEETING:  MEMBER'S CHOICE - 14 Nov 2014 in Ashland - www.amws.org/upcoming_workshops.html<http://www.amws.org/upcoming_workshops.html>

·        MACC FUNDAMENTALS - FREE for Bristol & Plymouth County commissioners and municipal staff - webinars in Oct, live workshops in Middleborough in Nov - www.maccweb.org/edu_workshops_cal.html<http://maccweb.org/edu_workshops_cal.html>

--- Funding Opportunities:
·    MASS ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST GENERAL GRANTS - letters of inquiry due by Oct 24 - www.mass.gov/eea/grants-and-tech-assistance/grants-and-loans/mass-enviro-trust/met-grants.html<http://www.mass.gov/eea/grants-and-tech-assistance/grants-and-loans/mass-enviro-trust/met-grants.html>; www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-15-1042-ENV-ENV01-00000001566&external=true&parentUrl=bid<https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-15-1042-ENV-ENV01-00000001566&external=true&parentUrl=bid>.

·    2015 ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE PROGRAM GRANT - applications due by Nov 18 - www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=262398<http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=262398>.

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