Regulation

Regulation  310 CMR 10.00: Wetlands Protection Act Regulations

These regulations establish procedures for conservation commissions and MassDEP to follow in issuing permits for work in areas protected under the Wetlands Protection Act.

Contact   for 310 CMR 10.00: Wetlands Protection Act Regulations

310 CMR 10.00 Contact Information

Table of Contents

Current Regulations

These regulations, 310 CMR 10.00, became effective as of October 24, 2014.

Note: This is an unofficial version of Commonwealth regulations and is posted here for the convenience of the public. It is not an official statement of the regulations.

Proposed Amendments & Public Comment

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).

  • Important: Questions submitted for an office hours session do not constitute a formal public comment. 
  • Office Hours #1: Monday February 26, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Office Hours #1 Agenda
  • Office Hours #2: Thursday March 14, 2024 at 1:30 PM. Office Hours #2 Agenda
  • Office Hours #3: Wednesday April 3, 2024 at 1:30 PM. Office Hours #3 Agenda 

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

Recently Promulgated Amendments

There have been no recent amendments to these regulations.

Downloads   for 310 CMR 10.00: Wetlands Protection Act Regulations

Contact   for 310 CMR 10.00: Wetlands Protection Act Regulations

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