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 Notice to Applicants and Design Consultants concerning applications for Freshwater Wetlands and Stormwater Permitting: We have over time had a number of questions over what constitutes a valid signature for applicants on our application forms.&#8202;
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          This Message Is From an External Sender
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          This message came from outside your organization.
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        <td style="direction: ltr">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://us-phishalarm-ewt.proofpoint.com/EWT/v1/KKphUJtCzQ!QaGMly0HFAsvanh6sUoklMbV8UdmFnsYJYPlo_M8oXlUPYak_vNGVdVrd0PiaAbL2VdR7h5zqDVCESNIQb97JbNYmuhp2nQd4i0Wd-UO70stbvkEyaVfIJ6PyplzKwemrjaV7YPejYhoauQrxw$" style="mso-padding-alt: 7.5px; padding: 7.5px; border-radius: 2px; border: 1.5px solid #666666; "><strong style="font-weight: normal; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height: 40px; ">&nbsp;&nbsp;Report&nbsp;Suspicious&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&zwnj; </td>
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This message came from outside your organization.
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        Report&nbsp;Suspicious
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Notice to Applicants and Design Consultants concerning applications for Freshwater Wetlands and Stormwater Permitting:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">We have over time had a number of questions over what constitutes a valid signature for applicants on our application forms. These have been addressed in an inconsistent, ad-hoc basis and this has created
 some confusion. This is particularly the case with digital signatures or photocopies of signatures. At some point in the future when we have updated our permitting database platforms, this will no longer be an issue, but in the meantime please use the following
 as indicative of our expectations:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">We will accept all original inked signatures or printed digital signatures. In the case of digital signatures, this means that we will accept the document
 that is printed once all relevant signatures are affixed to the document electronically (this is usually using the certification digital signature feature of Adobe Acrobat pdf document management). It is helpful if the document is printed in color so as not
 to be confused with a photocopy of the document.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
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<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Photocopies of applicant signatures cannot be accepted in any case.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
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<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">While original signatures of design professionals and consultants are preferred, we will accept photocopies of such signatures so long as the original
 signature of the applicant is provided on the forms.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">I hope that this guidance will prevent undue delays in processing of applications due to questions on whether a signature on wetlands or stormwater application forms is valid. Feel free to contact me with
 questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif;color:#0070C0">Chuck Horbert,
</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:&quot;Cambria&quot;,serif;color:#0070C0">Deputy Administrator<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Groundwater &amp; Freshwater Wetlands Protection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Water Quality Certification and Stormwater Permitting<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">RIDEM Office of Water Resources<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">(401) 222-6820, ext. 2777402<span style="color:red"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#0070C0"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
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