Wetlands Law and Compliance Seminar
DISCLAIMER
Before undertaking any on-demand effort, you should review the rules of your licensing/certifying entity.
It’s your responsibility to determine whether this on-demand course meets your continuing education requirements.
You must take and pass a quiz to receive credit. You can take the quiz as many times as needed and there is no time limit on the quiz.
Once the quiz is completed, you will be asked to download your certificate.
**Any on-demand programs that qualify for AIA or LACES credit will require an additional 2 business weeks for processing.
**AIA credit is not available in USB format.
Streamable MP4/PDF
You will receive an automated email letting you know when your On-Demand package is available approximately 3 business days after the date of the live event or the date of your order, whichever is later. This email will contain links to the video recording, materials, and program quiz.
To track your purchase, you will need to create an account on the website using the email address used for your registration.
For AIA requirements only, the on-demand recording will have occasional question prompts that will not allow the video to progress unless they are answered, and you will not be able to skip forward while watching the video.
Please note, if you attempt to resume watching the video on a separate device, your progress will not be saved.
Click the link which appears at the end of the video to be taken to the course quiz.
You will have unlimited access to the on-demand video recording, and it will never expire.
**Any streamable on-demand programs that qualify for AIA or LACES credit will require an additional 2 business weeks for processing.
USB MP4/PDF
HalfMoon will mail these materials via USPS.
USB orders ship approximately 3 business days after the program takes place or after the order is placed, whichever date is later. Please allow an additional 7-10 business days for shipping.
The link to the quiz will be available in a PDF in your USB drive marked QUIZ.
HalfMoon will contact you and issue a full refund if the product you ordered is not available. However, refunds will not be issued if completion certificates are requested.
Please contact HalfMoon Education if you have any questions during the process of taking this course. (715) 835-5900 or qchapman@halfmoonseminars.org
**Any USB on-demand programs that qualify for LACES credit will require an additional 2 business weeks for processing.
**AIA credit is not available in USB format.
Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch (On your own): 12:15 – 1:15 pm
Afternoon Session: 1:15 – 5:00 pm
Identifying Wetlands
M. Schweisberg
Presence of wetland vegetation
Identification of wetland soils
Importance of underlying wetland hydrology
Understanding Federal and Maine Wetlands
Laws and Enforcement
M. Richardson,
P. Tischbein,
M. Schweisberg
The Federal Clean Water Act
National Food Security Act of 1985
Maine Wetlands and Waterbodies Protection Rules
Implementing/enforcing agencies
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Wetlands Permitting Process
M. Schweisberg
Wetlands determinations and delineations
Determining applicability of regulations
• Programmatic general permit v. individual permit
Wetland permitting and certification processes
• Notice provisions
• Review process
• Mitigation/compensation requirements
Appeals process
Compensatory Mitigation
M. Schweisberg
Understanding the importance of wetlands
Landscape position and connections
• Floodflow storage and desynchronization
• Ground water discharge/recharge
• Sediment, excess nutrient, contamination retention
• Fish and wildlife habitat
Food chain (nutrient production/export)
• Shoreline anchoring/stabilization
• Heritage, aesthetics
• Recreation • Compensation approaches
• Functionally and geographically appropriate
• In-lieu fee • Permittee responsible
• Mitigation bank (Maine DOT)
• Wetland restoration • Wetland enhancement
• Wetland creation – least preferred
Credits
Attorneys
7.0 Maine CLE Hours
7.0 New Hampshire CLE Hours
7.0 Vermont CLE Hours
8.0 New York CLE Hours
8.0 New Jersey CLE Hours
Professional Engineers
7.0 PDHs
Architects &
Landscape Architects*
7.0 HSW Continuing Ed. Hours*
7.0 AIA HSW Learning Units
7.0 LA CES HSW PDHs
Floodplain Managers
7.0 ASFPM CECs
Contractors
Non-Credit Continuing Ed.
*Not mandatory in Maine
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers.7.0 CLE hours to Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire attorneys and 8.0 CLE hours to New York and New Jersey attorneys. The course is approved by the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar. HalfMoon Education is a CLE provider in Vermont, and courses are not subject to preapproval in New Hampshire. HalfMoon Education is an approved CLE provider in New York and New Jersey.
This course offers 7.0 PDHs to professional engineers in most states, including Maine. Educators and courses are not subject to preapproval for Maine engineers.
This seminar offers a non-credit continuing education opportunity to Maine architects and landscape architects. Continuing education is not mandatory in Maine. This program has been approved by the American Institute of Architects for 7.0 HSW Learning Units (Sponsor No. J885) and by the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System for 7.0 HSW PDHs. Only full attendance can be reported to the AIA/CES and LA/CES.
The Association of State Floodplain Managers has approved this event for 7.0 CECs.
This seminar also offers a non-credit continuing education opportunity to contractors. It has not been approved by any state contractor licensing entity.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Marybeth Richardson
Maine Department of Environmental ProtectionDirector of Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Ms. Richardson became the Director of Southern Maine Regional Office in Portland in 2016. She has been with the Department since the early 1990’s, working mostly within the Bureau of Land Resources as project manager and then the Licensing and Compliance manager, where she managed programs administering the Site Location of Development Act, the Stormwater Law and the Natural Resources Protection Act. Ms. Richardson has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Rutgers University.
Matt Schweisberg
PWS Principal with Wetland Strategies and Solutions, LLC in Merrimac, MAMr. Schweisberg provides policy, regulatory and technical advice and assistance for clients seeking to navigate a wide range of regulatory and non-regulatory issues related to wetlands and other aquatic resources. He works throughout the U.S. Mr. Schweisberg is a Professional Wetland Scientist under the Professional Certification Program of the Society of Wetland Scientists. He is a retired federal wetlands ecologist and wildlife biologist who spent over 32 years with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency at its headquarters office in Washington, D.C., and at the New England Region office in Boston. Mr. Schweisberg served as chief of the New England Region’s Wetlands Protection Program, as senior wetland ecologist, and on national work groups developing guidance and regulations on Clean Water Act jurisdiction, among other issues. He has testified before federal grand juries and has served several times as an expert witness in federal, state, and private litigation. Mr. Schweisberg has taught courses in wetland regulation, restoration, and creation; wetland ecology; and wetland identification and delineation for federal and state agencies, academic organizations, and environmental consultants. He received his degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine.
Peter Tischbein
Project Manager, New England District, Maine Project Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Peter Tischbein obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Susquehanna University and subsequently obtained a master’s degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University in 1983. He was hired as a civilian employee for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Manhattan and became supervisor of the New York Harbor. While working in Manhattan, he obtained his MBA degree from Pace University. Mr. Tischbein moved to Maine in 1989 and worked for 14 years for various Maine engineering and environmental consulting firms. In 2003, he rejoined the Corps, New England District. He serves Knox and Lincoln counties.