Wetlands Enforcement Team Flier

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Wetlands Enforcement Team
Office of Environmental Programs
Environmental Assessment & Innovation Division
EPA Region 3
Philadelphia, PA

June 2009

Definition of Wetlands

The Clean Water Act defines wetlands as:

"Those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas."

EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers share wetlands enforcement authority under the Clean Water Act §404, which regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material into U.S. wetlands and waterways.

In 2008, Region 3 enforcement resulted in 961 acres of restored or compensated wetlands.

EPA Lead Enforcement Areas

Delaware - all of Sussex County
Pennsylvania - all of Pike, Potter, Elk, Clearfield and Somerset Counties; parts of Berks, Lehigh and Monroe Counties
West Virginia - all of Berkeley, Hampshire, Jefferson and Morgan Counties

Other Team Tasks

Participate in mitigation banking initiatives.
Identify jurisdictional boundaries.
Provide training and assistance.
Develop and conduct educational outreach.
Perform functional assessments.

National Wetlands Helpline 800-832-7828

http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/wetlands/wetland_enforcement_team.htm

Mid-Atlantic Region || Mid-Atlantic Env'l Assessment & Innovation || Mid-Atlantic Wetlands