The National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) holds eight webinars per year for members. NAWM Member webinars cover a variety of topics encompassing wetland science, policy, program implementation, and legal issues. These webinars, including recordings for past webinars are available to NAWM members.
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For more information about this webinar series, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org or (207) 892-3399.
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How to Develop a State Wetland Permitting Program
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 - 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT 
ABSTRACT
States are increasingly interested in running their own wetland permitting programs. However, the process of developing and implementing such a program may seem daunting. This webinar will highlight examples of four states that already have wetland permitting programs and share their perspectives and lessons learned. During the webinar we will hear how Maryland developed a State permit program for nontidal wetlands, including early steps, laying groundwork, options, stakeholder involvement, components of legislation and regulations, staff, and ongoing challenges. The second presentation will focus on Oregon, where the Department of State Lands (DSL) has administered Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law since 1967. Combined with Oregon’s Wetland Conservation Laws, Oregon’s goal is to protect wetlands and other waters and have zero net loss of these valuable resources. The presentation will highlight program data, describe when a permit is required and permit types offered, and offer insights into program features to avoid and those to pursue. Then we will hear from Wisconsin, where state-regulated wetlands are protected from impact (discharges of fill or dredged materials) regardless of the type of wetland or size of impact if there is a practicable avoidance alternative. This “Practicable Alternatives Analysis” or PAA narrative in an application is often the keystone document for Wisconsin wetland permitting. Finally, we will learn about New York's current efforts to build a new permitting program for freshwater wetlands. The webinar will end with a group discussion and opportunity for audience questions.
PRESENTERS
- Denise Clearwater, Maryland Department of the Environment
- Dana Hicks, Oregon Department of State Lands
- Crystal vonHoldt, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Roy "JR" Jacobson, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
BIOS
Denise Clearwater has worked in Maryland’s wetland programs since 1986. She has a background in developing and implementing programs in wetland regulation, wetland training, and mitigation, as well as managing special projects for grants and program improvement and assisting in policy development. She has represented the Wetlands and Waterways Program in the Maryland Department of the Environment on numerous interagency work groups for regulatory, wetland monitoring, restoration, preservation and stream health and is a past co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Program Wetland Work Group. She is also a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists. Denise has a B.S. in zoology from the University of Maryland and an M.S. in wildlife management from Frostburg State College (now University).
Dana Hicks has worked 16 years in the Aquatic Resource Management Program at Oregon Department of State Lands. She is currently the manager of the Planning and Policy unit and provides oversight of program issues in areas of removal-fill permitting, state-owned waterways, wetland planning and mitigation. Her interdisciplinary approach to aquatic systems and the benefits that they provide has led to advances in Oregon’s mitigation approach and coordination across stakeholder interests. Dana studied biology and aquatic chemistry at Missouri State University and has a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Engineering from Oregon Health & Science University.
Crystal vonHoldt recently had an incredible opportunity to move into the role of Policy Coordinator for Wisconsin’s Waterway and Wetland Regulatory Program. Having served as a field regulator as a Water Management Specialist (WMS) for 14 years and as the state’s first Mississippi River Expert for two years, moving into the role of Policy Coordinator was a very natural transition. In this role, her priorities include teaching, training, and supporting program field staff for Public Trust Doctrine waterway permitting and responsible wetland permitting decisions. Her background includes a B.S. degree in Psychology (biology minor) followed by an M.S. degree in Environmental Science & Policy (ecosystems emphasis). Growing up in a military family and moving every five years taught her so much about her adaptability and resilience, especially the appreciation for diversity and new experiences. It also gave her the incredible opportunity to spend her high school years grown up in Germany immersed in diverse cultures and communities. If she is not exploring new places and eating new foods, she must be doing something wrong. Crystal shares her love of the natural world with her husband, Scott, and her two teenage daughters (one of which was born on Earth Day!). Despite living within city limits, they are able to cultivate a beautiful array of native gardens along with a wetland swale home to sensitive fern, blue vervain, swamp milkweed, fox sedge, and other native species we bring in and nurture. Their small-scale botanical gardens might just be the envy of our neighbors!
Roy “JR” Jacobson has worked in the Division of Fish and Wildlife for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for more than 32 years. He currently oversees statewide implementation of several habitat protection programs, including the freshwater wetlands regulatory program. JR started has been working with colleagues in earnest to make changes to the New York State Freshwater Wetlands Act since 2007. He is married to a very tolerant wife, has two wonderful kids who sometimes adore him, but mainly tolerate him.
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