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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">DEM Freshwater Wetlands General Permit and Public Comment Period<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Section 3.10 of the New Freshwater Wetlands Rules (250-RICR-150-15-3) creates a Freshwater Wetlands General Permit. DEM may issue the Freshwater Wetlands General
Permit for limited projects that meet certain eligibility requirements and that:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">a) involve the same or similar types and areas of alteration or impacts;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">b) occur only within the jurisdictional area identified in the general permit;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">c) involve similar land uses; and that<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">d) in the opinion of the Department are more appropriately authorized under a general permit than under individual Freshwater Wetlands Permits.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">RI DEM is now proposing the Freshwater Wetlands General Permit with a public comment period from
<b><u><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">July 29, 2022</span></u></b> through
<b><u><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">September 12, 2022</span></u></b>. Attached are the Public Notice being issued today, and a copy of the proposed Freshwater Wetlands General Permit, where you may find additional information regarding
the proposed Freshwater Wetlands General Permit. These and additional helpful documents can be found on the web page for the newly promulgated Freshwater Wetland Rules found here :<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/pn-wetland.php"><span style="color:blue">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/pn-wetland.php</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">You may reach out to Chuck Horbert, Deputy Administrator for Groundwater & Freshwater Wetlands Protection,
<a href="mailto:chuck.horbert@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:blue">chuck.horbert@dem.ri.gov</span></a>, with any comments you may have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#0070C0">Chuck Horbert,
</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#0070C0">Deputy Administrator<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Groundwater & Freshwater Wetlands Protection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">RIDEM Office of Water Resources<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:red">STAY INFORMED</span></b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">
<span style="color:red">on our <b><i><a href="https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/inactive/part/250-150-15-2"><span style="color:red">New</span><span style="color:red;font-style:normal"> Freshwater Wetlands Rules</span></a></i>!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">For info, go to <b>
<span style="color:#44546A"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/newwetlandsrules">dem.ri.gov/newwetlandsrules</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">Visit our updated construction stormwater webpage: </span><span style="color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/ripdes/stormwater/construction.php">dem.ri.gov/stormwaterconstruction</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:blue">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="color:blue"> </span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/" target="_blank" title="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/">ONLINE PERMIT
SEARCH TOOLS</a>: </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#44546A">View Permit Status, Historical Information and download available documents at <a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/" target="_blank" title="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/permits/">dem.ri.gov/waterpermits</a></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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