Issue 2.2 May 2014   
 A Newsletter for 
 Municipal Inland Wetlands Agencies 
   CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Inland Water Resources Division
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WetlandsTrainingProgram
2014 Training Now Available! 
The Municipal Inland Wetlands Agency Comprehensive Training Program Online CourseComprehensiveTrainingProgram
The Municipal Inland Wetlands Agency Comprehensive Training Program consists of an online course offered through a Central Connecticut State University website platform.  The online course covers a range of legal, administrative, and scientific subjects relevant to municipal inland wetlands agency jurisdiction.  The course is available for registration and completion each year between mid-April and December 15th.  A DEEP issued certificate will be awarded to participants after completion of the course.  In addition, completion of the comprehensive training program fulfills the training requirement for duly authorized agents pursuant to the General Statutes of Connecticut section 22a-42a(c)(2).
 
It is important to note that the Connecticut Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act requires at least one member of the inland wetlands agency or staff of the agency to complete the comprehensive training program.  To assist in meeting this mandate a voucher allowing one person to complete the 2014 comprehensive online course has been mailed to each municipal inland wetlands agency with instructions on its use. Additional course information and registration is available through Central Connecticut State University.
 
Annual Legal and Administrative Updates Continuing Education WorkshopLegalAdminUpdatesWorkshop
The Municipal Inland Wetlands Agency Continuing Education Workshop: Legal and Administrative Updates, will be conducted by the DEEP's Wetlands Management Section in late May through mid-June.  The program will consist of a synopsis of the 2014 legislative session, an examination of recent court cases by representatives of the Office of the Attorney General, and a specific subject matter presentation. Topics associated with the court cases include the agricultural exemption, duties of municipal inland wetlands agencies, and experts.  A separate, detailed presentation on substantial evidence and expert testimony will be provided.  Further, a brief open forum on DEEP's efforts to update the model regulations, including the mapping requirement, will be held.  The program will conclude with an open question and answer session.  The DEEP Wetlands Management Section strongly recommends that a least one member of your municipal inland wetlands agency and/or staff attend this program to obtain current information regarding inland wetlands and watercourses regulation in Connecticut. 
 
The workshop will be conducted on four different dates/locations from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  The registration fee is $60.00 for all participants and includes morning refreshment and handouts.  Please note the voucher for The Municipal Inland Wetlands Agency Comprehensive Training Program online course is not applicable to this workshop.  Additional information and registration is available through Central Connecticut State University.




Street Sweepings Catch Basin Cleanings
The DEEP Water Permitting and Enforcement Division has guidelines to assist municipal officials in managing the use and/or disposal of street sweepings and catch basin cleanings. Sweeping streets and cleaning catch basins to remove accumulated sediments, trash, and debris reduces the amount of pollutants entering Connecticut's wetlands and watercourses. Regularly cleaning catch basins also reduces the threat of local flooding.  In fact, addressing Best Management Practices (BMPs) for street sweeping residuals is a necessary part of the stormwater management plan required by the DEEP's General Permit for the Discharge of Stormwater from Small Municipal Storm Sewer Systems (MS4 Stormwater Permit).  Approximately 130 municipalities are required to obtain the MS4 Stormwater Permit.  Further, municipalities that collect street sweepings or clean out catch basins must keep in mind that the debris they collect may not be considered clean fill.  Therefore, if a municipality uses debris collected from street sweepings or catch basin cleanings in a manner that is not consistent with these guidelines, the municipality may inadvertently incur environmental liability. Following the recommended guidelines should help prevent pollution and sedimentation of wetlands and watercourses.  For questions regarding stormwater BMPs contact the DEEP's Water Permitting and Enforcement Division at (860) 424-3018.




 
EPA and ACOE Propose Changes to Clean Water Act to Clarify Protection for Wetlands  EPAandACOEProposedRule
Does this Apply to Municipal Inland Wetlands Agencies?
The DEEP Wetlands Management Section has received a number of inquiries regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) jointly released federal Clean Water Act (CWA) proposed rule. The proposed rule, released on March 25, 2014, clarifies protection under the CWA for streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation's water resources. The proposed rule pertains to federal agency jurisdiction under the federal CWA and does NOT affect municipal inland wetlands agency jurisdiction under Connecticut's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act.
 
The scope of the CWA's jurisdiction is based on the meaning of the term "waters of the U.S." and has been the subject of regulatory and judicial interpretation, most recently in U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006.  The proposed rule is consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court's more narrow reading of the CWA's jurisdiction.
 
Again, the proposed rule does NOT affect municipal inland wetlands agency jurisdiction, or the manner in which the boundaries of inland wetlands and watercourses are established and amended or changed.  Connecticut's municipal inland wetlands permitting process is separate and distinct from the federal permitting process.  The burden of understanding and obtaining the necessary municipal, state and/or federal permits falls to the applicant.
 
The proposed rule is open for public comment for 90 days from publication in the Federal Register.  For more information see EPA's informational website.




National Cooperative Soil Survey Data 
Through your Smartphone!SoilSurveyApp
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has developed two ways to access soil survey information using your Smartphone.
 
First, you can install the SoilWeb mobile app on you iPhone or AndroidOS. The SoilWeb mobile app utilizes real-time GPS location information to show National Cooperative Soil Survey data at your current location.  The availability of soil survey data in a mobile form is particularly helpful for individuals in the field who are working away from their computer.  This app can also aid users who are familiar with NRCS's Web Soil Survey but only need access to basic information about the map units in a specific area.
 
Second, data can be accessed using Google EarthTM, allowing you to quickly and efficiently view soil maps for specific locations. Google EarthTM also lets you zoom in on a specific GPS location.  More information regarding this feature is available on NRCS's website.
 
The information provided through the SoilWeb mobile app and through Google EarthTM is to be used for general planning purposes and should not be the basis for a municipal inland wetlands agency's jurisdiction under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act.  The SoilWeb mobile app and Google EarthTM provided through NRCS does not replace site specific delineations of wetlands and watercourses. 




The CT Council on Environmental Quality 
Do You Know What They Do?CEQ
The Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality is the state agency that monitors environmental progress and makes recommendations for correcting deficiencies in state laws and programs.  The Council is a nine-member board that works independently of the DEEP.  The Chairman and four other members are appointed by the Governor; two members are appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and two by the Speaker of the House.  All Council meetings are open to the public.  The Council has several responsibilities for assisting other agencies under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act.  Please contact the Council if you have questions or concerns about the environmental impacts of a state project.  You can read about current state projects in the Environmental Monitora web site for project information under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act, and for notices of proposed transfers of state land.  The Council also produces an annual report, called "Environmental Quality in Connecticut," that displays trends in the quality of our air, land, wildlife, rivers and streams.  For more information view the Council on Environmental Quality's web page or contact them at: (860) 424-4000.





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The Connecticut Department 
of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Please contact us at 860-418-5910 or d[email protected] if you: have a disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint. 
  
A Newsletter for Municipal Inland Wetlands Agencies is published by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, Inland Water Resources Division, Wetlands Management Section.  Editor: Darcy Winther, (860) 424-3019.