NCAEP has been asked to review/comment on the attached draft North Carolina Wetland Program Plan (WPP) (see below). Please provide comments to NCAEP President Ward Marotti (wmarotti@wkdickson.com) by 6 September. Mr. Marotti has been representing NCAEP as part of the project’s stakeholder group since April and will organize/compile/present NCAEP comments/suggestions.
North Carolina’s WPP is funded by an EPA Wetland Program Development Grant. Its goals are to evaluate existing resources, identify needs of North Carolina’s wetland program participants (public, private, academic, and non-profit), and determine the future direction for development of wetland programs in North Carolina. Development of a focused, long-term WPP will identify opportunities for improved efficiency and consistency in regulatory decision making, as well as increase transparency of wetland program activities and their anticipated outcomes. In addition, a comprehensive WPP is needed to ensure that wetland monitoring activities are providing valuable data that can be used to assess wetland condition and guide restoration and protection efforts statewide. The WPP will outline the development of wetland programs in North Carolina for the next five years and will incorporate all four Core Elements of the EPA’s Wetlands Program Framework: Monitoring and Assessment, Regulation, Voluntary Restoration and Protection, and Water Quality Standards for Wetlands. Although not required by the EPA, the plan will also address community outreach and education and identify sustainable financing options for wetland programs.
Further information on the EPA’s goals and guidelines for WPP development can be found on their website at http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/wpp.cfm.
WPP Compiled Master Document.docx
