Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and River Protection Act

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Metadata:

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM)
Publication_Date: 20080922
Title: Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and River Protection Act
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Larger_Work_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM)
Title:
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Georegulations Geodatabase
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Description:
Abstract:
Authorities: M.G.L. c. 131, § 40: Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act; 310 CMR 10.00: Wetlands Regulations.
Jurisdiction: Any wetland, including:
* Any bank, freshwater wetland, coastal wetland, beach, dune, tidal flat, marsh or swamp bordering on the ocean, any estuary, creek, river, stream, pond, lake, or certified vernal pool; * Land under any of the water bodies listed; * Land subject to tidal action, coastal storm flowage, or flooding; and * Riverfront areas in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
In addition, a 100-foot buffer zone around any fresh water or coastal resource listed above is subject to jurisdiction.
Applicability: Any construction in or near a wetland resource, including intertidal and subtidal habitat, is subject to the provisions of the Wetlands Protection Act (WPA).
Regulatory Summary: Local Conservation Commissions and the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Wetlands Program administer the WPA (310 CMR 10:00: Wetlands Regulations). The purpose of the WPA is to protect Massachusetts wetlands resources and to ensure that the beneficial functions of these resources are maintained. The resources identified are protected because they fulfill the public interest to protect public and private water supply, protect fisheries, protect groundwater supply, provide flood control, protect land containing shellfish, prevent storm damage, protect wildlife habitat, and prevent pollution. These interests are protected by a "no net loss of wetlands" policy. Projects that affect wetlands are required to avoid impacts where possible, minimize unavoidable impacts, and mitigate for unavoidable impacts. Performance standards define the levels of environmental impacts that cannot be exceeded.
Projects proposed in wetlands resource areas or in the buffer zone around them must obtain a local Order of Conditions. Wetland resources include land under the ocean, coastal banks, coastal beaches and tidal flats, coastal dunes, barrier beaches, rocky intertidal, salt marshes, land under salt ponds, Designated Port Areas, land containing shellfish, and land on the banks of fish runs.
Review Process: Proponents of projects in wetlands or in the buffer zone around them must apply for an Order of Conditions from the municipal Conservation Commission. In addition to the requirements of the WPA, project proponents should check with Conservation Commission officials to determine if there are any local wetlands by-laws applicable to the project. Applicants must also obtain a list of abutters from the Assessors Office so that the abutters can be notified of the proposed project.
The application, called the Notice of Intent (NOI), which describes the type and boundaries of resource areas and the type of work proposed, is submitted by the applicant to the Conservation Commission along with supporting plans. A professional engineer generally must stamp plans. A copy of the NOI is also submitted to the regional office of DEP, which issues a project number for the proposed activity. A legal notice is published in a local newspaper. Upon completion of these steps, the Conservation Commission opens the public hearing of the proposal.
If the project is approved or approved with conditions, the Commission has up to 21 days to issue an Order of Conditions (OOC). Abutters, a group of 10 citizens, or the applicant have 10 days to appeal an approval to DEP. If the proposal is denied, the applicant can appeal the decision to DEP. If the project is appealed, MassDEP will issue a Superseding Order of Conditions (SOOC), either confirming or altering the original Order.
Forms: WPA Form 3 Notice of Intent at <http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/resources/noi.htm>.
Fees: Based on the category of the proposed activity and resources affected (310 CMR 10.03).
Website: <http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/index.htm>.
Contact: MassDEP Wetlands Program (617) 292-5695.
Purpose:
These georegulations data were developed for illustrative purposes to depict the geographic extent(s) of specific laws and policies. They were derived from various sources for planning purposes only and do not necessarily represent contemporary legal spatial positions or orientation(s). All users should verify the location of any boundary of interest prior to use by contacting the controlling legal authority (i.e. Federal, Commonwealth, or town agency) listed in the metadata for guidance.
Supplemental_Information: <http://www.mass.gov/czm/permitguide/regs/maprotectionact.htm>
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: unknown
Ending_Date: unknown
Currentness_Reference: publication date
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.342782
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -69.830024
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.878900
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.186918
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: coastal zone management
Theme_Keyword: CZM
Theme_Keyword: georegulations
Theme_Keyword: georegulation
Theme_Keyword: law
Theme_Keyword: policy
Theme_Keyword: jurisdiction
Theme_Keyword: boundary
Theme_Keyword: boundaries
Theme_Keyword: Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act
Theme_Keyword: Massachusetts Rivers Protection Act
Theme_Keyword: WPA
Theme_Keyword: RPA
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: environment, 007
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Massachusetts
Place_Keyword: Gulf of Maine
Access_Constraints:
None. These data are in the public domain. GIS files are freely available for download.
Use_Constraints:
Public domain data from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management as the source of these data. You are not permitted to use CZM's name or to suggest that CZM endorses your project or product, without its express written consent. While efforts have been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the state of the art, CZM cannot assume liability for any damages or misrepresentation caused by any inaccuracies in the data or as a result of changes to the data caused by system transfers. The user must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of these data with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other conditions specific to these data.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: CZM Data Manager
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: Mailing Address
Address: 251 Causeway Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02114-2136
City: Boston
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02114-2136
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 617-626-1200
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 617-626-1240
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: czm@state.ma.us
Hours_of_Service: 0900 hrs to 1600 hrs EST
Contact_Instructions: email only
Data_Set_Credit:
These spatial data were created by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA).
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.0.1770
Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report: An attribute accuracy report was not conducted for these data.
Logical_Consistency_Report: A logical consistency report was not conducted for these data.
Completeness_Report:
The data is thought to be complete; no data has been purposefully excluded.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
A positional accuracy report was not conducted for these data. Most data used to create the georegulations data came from MassGIS, NOAA, or MMS. Consequently, by and large the data are as accurate as the source data.
Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: n/a
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: n/a
Lineage:
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:
SDTS_Terms_Description:
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Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 1
Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Grid_Coordinate_System:
Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: State Plane Coordinate System 1983
State_Plane_Coordinate_System:
SPCS_Zone_Identifier: 2001
Lambert_Conformal_Conic:
Standard_Parallel: 41.716667
Standard_Parallel: 42.683333
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -71.500000
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 41.000000
False_Easting: 200000.000000
False_Northing: 750000.000000
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000000
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000000
Planar_Distance_Units: meters
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: wpa
Attribute:
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Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
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Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Shape
Attribute_Definition: Feature geometry.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
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Attribute:
Attribute_Label: MNG_AGCY
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: CONTACT
Attribute:
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Attribute:
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Attribute:
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Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: CZM Data Manager
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: Mailing Address
Address: 251 Causeway Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02114-2136
City: Boston
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02114-2136
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 617-626-1200
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 617-626-1240
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: czm@state.ma.us
Hours_of_Service: 0900 hrs to 1600 hrs EST
Contact_Instructions: email only
Resource_Description: Downloadable Data
Distribution_Liability:
Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these data, errors and conditions originating from physical sources used to develop these data may be reflected in the data supplied. The client must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of the information with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other conditions specific to certain data. In no event shall CZM be liable for any damages, whether general, special, incidental or consequential damages, arising out of your use of these data. Your sole remedy for damages is to stop using the data. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless CZM and its employees against any claim, loss, liability or expense, including attorneys' fees, resulting from loss of or damage to property or the injury to or death of any person arising out of the use of the data.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Transfer_Size: 0.396
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: <http://www.mass.gov/czm/czm.htm>
Fees:
GIS and coordinate files may be downloaded at no charge by following links on the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management website (<http://www.mass.gov/czm/>).
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20080922
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: CZM Data Manager
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: Mailing Address
Address: 251 Causeway Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02114-2136
City: Boston
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02114-2136
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 617-626-1200
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 617-626-1240
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: czm@state.ma.us
Hours_of_Service: 0900 hrs to 1600 hrs EST
Contact_Instructions: email only
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
Metadata_Extensions:
Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>
Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile
Generated by mp version 2.9.6 on Mon Sep 22 13:25:51 2008