VMRC Draft Wetland Guidelines Out for Public Comment
Virginia has updated the stabilization regulations for eroding shorelines; comments on the draft regulations are due April 16.
On March 1, 2021, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) released revised draft Wetland Guidelines. The draft Guidelines were developed pursuant to the 2020 Virginia General Assembly’s Senate Bill 776, which strengthened VMRC’s mandate to protect sensitive shorelines and wetlands by amending the language regulating Virginia’s tidal wetlands (Chapter 13, Title 28.2 of the Code of Virginia); this was the first revision to these guidelines since 1993. WSSI has reviewed the draft Guidelines, which are out for public comment through April 16.
Swamp Pink Surveys Help Avoid Costly Project Delays
Swamp pink
It’s time for another season of swamp pink (Helonias bullata) surveys. If your project site will require wetlands permitting and is within or near known swamp pink habitat, you can minimize impacts to your project schedule by having WSSI conduct a swamp pink habitat evaluation or survey early in the development process – preferably during the April 15 - May 31 survey window or during the June 1 – September 30 window.
Spring Transitions - Bat Time of Year Restrictions
As we transition into warmer weather across Virginia and Maryland, bats in the area are emerging from their winter roosts as they transition to migration and breeding seasons. If your projects involve tree clearing, you may need to follow time of year restrictions for those bat species recognized as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Indiana Bat
Webinar: 2021 Regulatory Updates
Join us for an update on the Clean Water Act and other regulatory issues in Virginia and Maryland. We’ll be reviewing the latest federal and state-level changes with our panel, which will include speakers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
