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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. 
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<meta charset="us-ascii"></head><body><pre style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 100%; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word">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. 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:
* 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.
* Photocopies of applicant signatures cannot be accepted in any case.
* 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.
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.
Chuck Horbert, Deputy Administrator
Groundwater & Freshwater Wetlands Protection
Water Quality Certification and Stormwater Permitting
RIDEM Office of Water Resources
(401) 222-6820, ext. 2777402
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