Wetlands: What’s in a Name?

A Senate committee began work today on two proposed bills that could change the definition of wetlands. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will look into the bills, sponsored by committee chairman Sen. Bob Odell (R-Lempster).

Senate Bill 21 would expand the definition of wetlands to encompass what a wetlands area is not – specifically, all man-made wetlands (such as man-made ponds, farm ponds, roadside ditches, etc.) shall not be considered “jurisdictional wetlands.” The current statute currently defines wetlands as “an area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal conditions does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.”

Senate Bill 19 would redefine “prime wetlands” (those designated by a city or town) to “five acres of more.” There are currently 31 towns and cities with prime wetlands designation.

New Hampshire Business Review reported that the bills were seemingly designed to make permitting and development easier for the construction industry. Mark Holden, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors of New Hampshire and Vermont, was quoted in the story saying the intent of the bills appears to “make things reasonable and more appropriate for those trying to build.”

The committee was also scheduled to hear three briefings from the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

This Daily Dispatch was written by Michael McCord.

Posted by Hilary Niles on Jan 13 2011. Filed under Commerce, development, Environment & Resources, Weekly Briefing, wetlands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry