Proposed Wetlands Resilience 1.0 Draft Regulations
MassDEP is proposing revisions to the Wetlands regulations and corresponding revisions to the 401WQC regulations to improve the Commonwealth’s resilience to impacts of climate change. Following Information Sessions and Public Hearings, MassDEP added Office Hour Sessions for stakeholder Q&A and extended the Public Comment period from March 1 to April 30.
AUGUST 2024 UPDATE: MassDEP is continuing to consider the public comments received on the draft Waterways Regulations to determine whether changes should be made to the proposal published on December 22, 2023. We appreciate all comments received during the public comment period. MassDEP currently plans to publish a response to comments and promulgate Final Regulations early in 2025 and will update this webpage periodically. Thank you for your interest.
Public Notice: English | Español | 中文 | 中文(繁體) | Kreyòl Ayisyen | ភាសាខ្មែរ | Português | Tiếng Việt
Revised Public Notice: English | Español | 中文 | 中文(繁體) | Kreyòl Ayisyen | ភាសាខ្មែរ | Português | Tiếng Việt
Public Information Sessions and Public Hearings
MassDEP conducted three virtual public information sessions:
- Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Recording available on YouTube.
- Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 6:00 PM. Recording available on YouTube.
- Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Recording available on YouTube.
- Presentations available here: Stormwater | Coastal
Public Comment Period and How to Submit Public Comments
MassDEP conducted three virtual public hearings:
- Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Recording available on YouTube.
- Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6:00 PM. Recording available on YouTube.
- Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Recording available on YouTube.
MassDEP held a public comment period from March 1 to April 30, 2024 – a 60-day extension. Formal written comments on the draft regulations were accepted until 5:00 PM on April 30, 2024.
Wetlands and Waterways Resilience Regulations “Office Hours” Schedule
MassDEP conducted three virtual office hours sessions. These informal Q&A sessions are an opportunity for the public to better understand the proposed revisions and to help develop their formal comments. Stakeholders were encouraged to submit questions about the Wetlands/401WQC regulations, Stormwater Handbook, and/or Waterways regulations in advance of the session(s).
Proposed Revisions
Notice to Reviewers
Public Summary
Stormwater Management Handbook
Stormwater Management Handbook Appendix A Redline
Memo on NOAA14 PLUS
Memo on Recharge Rationale
Scenario Analysis Update 2021
MassDEP WPA Regs Handout 1 LSCSF Zones
MassDEP WPA Regs Handout 2 Performance Stnd Comparison
MassDEP WPA Regs Handout 3 Flow Path Analysis
Draft Regulations related to Notification, Date of Issuance, and Plant List
Notice of Public Hearing: 310 CMR 10.00
310 CMR 10.00: Summary of Proposed Revisions
Massachusetts 2016 Wetland Plant List (from US Army Corps of Engineers)
310 CMR 10.00: Proposed Revisions - Redline/Strikeout
310 CMR 10.00: Proposed Revisions - Clean
Proposed Wetlands Regulatory Revisions - February 29, 2020 Update