Andover |
Meredith |
Designation
Prime wetlands are designated by a municipality according to the requirements of RSA 482-A: 15 and Chapter Env-Wt 700 of the DES administrative rules. The municipality chooses to evaluate the wetlands within its boundaries. Typically, the evaluation method used is Method for Comparative Evaluation of Nontidal Wetlands in New Hampshire (1991) or Method for the Evaluation and Inventory of Vegetated Tidal Marshes in New Hampshire (Coastal Method) (1993). Field and “desktop” data are used for the evaluation process. The municipality evaluates the functions and values of the identified wetlands. Once the community has selected wetlands to designate as prime, the municipality holds a public hearing before the residents of the community vote on the designation. Once the municipality approves the wetlands for designation as prime, the municipality provides to the DES Wetlands Program a copy of the study and tax maps with the designated prime wetlands identified. DES will review the submission from the municipality to ensure that it is complete and in accordance with Env-Wt 702.03.
Permitting
Once the submission is considered complete, DES will apply to any future projects that are in or within 100 feet of a prime wetland the rules and law that are applicable. All projects that are in or within 100 feet of a prime wetland are classified as major projects.