In April, Albany County Supreme Court issued a decision in Chautauqua Lake Prop. Owners Assn., Inc. v State of New York annulling the recently revised 6 NYCRR Part 664 freshwater wetlands regulations in their entirety.
The court said the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) failed to comply with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) during the adoption process.
Now DEC is hosting a virtual webinar titled “Changes to Freshwater Wetland Regulations” on Tuesday, June 23 at 11 am “to promote public understanding of changes in DEC’s approach to freshwater wetland protection in response to [the] recent court ruling.”
“This session will offer vital insights into the recent freshwater wetland regulatory updates and an overview of the jurisdictional determination process, practical examples for when to request jurisdictional determinations, and information on available freshwater wetland general permits,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in an announcement to the press.
The press announcement said: “DEC has conducted a thorough evaluation of the ruling’s implications for permitting and enforcement programs related to freshwater wetlands, reaffirming our commitment to protecting the environment and the numerous benefits that wetlands provide.”
DEC’s website says the department continues to uphold New York’s 1975 Freshwater Wetland Act by exercising regulatory protections for freshwater wetlands that remain jurisdictional.
For now, DEC will continue to require applications for projects that will impact previously mapped freshwater wetlands and/or wetlands of 12.4 acres or greater in size.
Registration is required to attend the June 23 webinar. DEC encourages participants to submit questions during registration to ensure the session effectively addresses community interests.
During the webinar, the audience will also have the opportunity to ask questions, provide comments, and engage with a DEC Freshwater Wetland Program Manager and Outreach Coordinator in discussion.
To register for the webinar, visit this website.
For those unable to attend, a recording of the webinar will be made available on the Freshwater Wetland Jurisdictional Determination webpage following the event.
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