NY Seeking Input to Further Protect Freshwater Wetlands

[Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NEPARC)]

Hello NEPARC,

Please see the message below that we were asked to share with our membership. If you live in NY and value wetlands, please make your voice heard!

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NY State Department of Environmental Conservation Seeking Input to Further Protect Freshwater Wetlands

New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner, Basil Seggos, is encouraging New Yorkers to review and comment on the development of proposed regulations that would further protect freshwater wetlands statewide (web link). DEC released the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to begin developing regulations to implement the new law that expands the number of wetlands regulated by DEC.

Starting in January 2025, the scope of regulated smaller wetlands of “unusual importance” will be expanded to wetlands that meet one of 11 specific criteria in order to provide additional fish and wildlife habitat and to protect communities from flooding. The ANPR seeks feedback on the potential criteria that will be used to classify these newly protected wetlands.

Find more information about the public comment period and view the ANPR in the New York State Register (web link) or on DEC's website (web link).

Comments can be submitted by Feb. 19, 2024 via email to WetlandRegul...@dec.ny.gov (subject: “ANPR Freshwater Wetlands Protection”) or sent to Bureau of Ecosystem Health, Freshwater Wetlands Unit, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4756. 

[Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NEPARC)]

Hello NEPARC,

Alex Wolf sent the message below regarding our previous listserv email titled "NY Seeking Input to Further Protect Freshwater Wetlands". Please consider submitting comments if you live in NY and value wetlands.

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Re: NY Seeking Input to Further Protect Freshwater Wetlands

I will note that these new rules include specifically designating wetlands by vernal-pool amphibian egg mass numbers.  As currently proposed, vernal pools with egg mass numbers above a particular threshold (varying by region) would qualify for protection, but those vernal pools with 'low' numbers of egg masses wouldn't get classified.  While an improvement over past regulations in many ways, particularly if you have egg mass data for your region of NY, please consider reviewing the proposed rules and commenting.

I'll also note there's an accompanying document specifically asking for feedback on certain aspects of the proposed rules, including publishing vernal pool locations, and requiring a response from DEC within 90 days of a request (which is hard to square with the egg mass data requirements outside of breeding season).

-Alex Wolf
Conservation Scientist, Scenic Hudson