Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 
8:30 am – 5:00 pm EDT (including a 60-min. break) 

 

Identifying Wetlands 
Presented by: Taylor Sturm

  • Presence of wetland vegetation
  • Identification of wetland soils
  • Importance of underlying wetland hydrology 

  

Understanding Federal and Maine Wetlands Laws and Enforcement
Presented by: Dawn Hallowell, Rachael McEntee and Bryan Emerson
 

  • Maine Constitution and Maine Municipal Shoreland Zoning statute   
  • The Federal Clean Water Act 
  • National Food Security Act of 1985
  •  Implementing/enforcing agencies 
    • Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) 
    • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
    • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 

Wetlands Permitting Process   
Presented by: Rachel McEntee 

  • Wetlands determinations and delineations
  • Determining applicability of regulations
  • Wetland permitting and certification processes  
    • Notice provisions  
    • Review process 
    • Mitigation/compensation requirements
  • Appeals process

 

Wetland Preservation, Restoration, Creation and Enhancement
Presented by: Bryan Emerson 

  • Understanding the importance of wetlands 
  • Flood storage and conveyance 
  • Pollution control and carbon storage 
  • Erosion control  
  • Wildlife habitat 
  • Recreation  
  • Wetland preservation strategies and techniques
  • Wetland restoration  
    • Preference for onsite and in-kind restoration 
    • Hydrological considerations  
    • Restoration techniques 
  •  
  • Wetland creation: methods, benefits and drawbacks
  • Wetland enhancement: purposes and techniques 

 

Ethics Issues in Wetland Preservation and Development 
Presented by: Bill Sapp 

  • Acting in the best interest of the public on wetlands issues 
    • Finding alternatives to wetlands destruction 
    • Including wetland preservation in development plans 
  • Convincing clients to preserve and restore wetlands

 

Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.

GoToWebinar App requirements:
Windows 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)

Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled

Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps       Hardware: 2GB RAM or more

 

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com

Credits

Professional Engineers
7.0 PDHs

Architects
7.0 HSW CE Hours

AIA
7.0 LU|HSW

Landscape Architects
7.0 HSW CE Hours

LA CES
7.0 HSW PDHs

Attorneys
7.0 CLE Hours

Floodplain Managers
7.0 ASFPM CECs

Certified Planners
CM|7

 

Continuing Education Credit Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 7.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 7.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 7.0 HSW continuing education hours for landscape architects in Maine. Professionals seeking credits in other states may be able to claim the credits earned at this webinar; please refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.

The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 7.0 HSW LUs (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA/CES.

The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System has approved this course for 7.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.

The Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar CLE has accredited this webinar 7.0 CLE hours. This approval only applies to the live presentation format.

This webinar has been approved by the Association of State Floodplain Managers for 7.0 CECs for floodplain managers.

HalfMoon Education is an approved CM Provider with the American Planning Association. This course is registered for CM | 7 for Certified Planners.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).

 

Speakers

Bryan Emerson

Bryan Emerson, is TNC Maine’s Mitigation Program Manager and primarily oversees TNC’s administration of the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program (MNRCP), a statewide In Lieu Fee Program that helps restore and preserve wetlands to offset the impacts of development in the state. In this role, Bryan works collaboratively with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage an annual grant funding round for wetland restoration and conservation projects. Bryan is working on expanding efforts to reach new prospective applicants for the program and deepening TNC’s support for wetland restoration and enhancement projects. He works with grant applicants to identify wetland conservation and restoration projects, provides guidance through the grant application process, coordinates the application reviews with state and federal agencies, and assists with implementation of projects that are awarded funding. MNRCP is widely viewed as a successful program in the state, region and country. Bryan is also engaged with TNC Maine’s other mitigation work, including review and analysis of mitigation plans for significant state projects and planning for new and enhanced mitigation efforts for other high value resources in the state. Bryan has engaged with TNC’s mitigation efforts nationwide, working with other chapters and program leads to expand TNC’s mitigation practice and catalyze new mitigation markets.

Dawn Hallowell

Dawn Hallowell is the current licensing director of the Bureau of Land Resources for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Ms. Hallowell has been working to implement the Maine regulatory program for over 25 years.

Rachael Becker McEntee​

Rachel Becker McEntee, having worked in various industries, from startups to academia, Rachael understands the need to find efficient solutions to complex problems. She has experience in soup to nuts environmental and energy regulatory issues from large-scale environmental remediation to real estate development to complex mergers and acquisitions of large renewable energy portfolios including hydro, biomass, wind, and solar energy. Rachael also represents clients in front of the Maine Public Utilities Commission and the Board of Environmental Protection. Armed with tenacity, drive, and knowledge of environmental law, Rachael will shepherd you through obtaining permits, transferring permits, and navigating environmental law compliance. Prior to joining Bernstein Shur, Rachael served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Kermit V. Lipez at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Additionally, she was a faculty assistant for Harvard Business School, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges companies face and how legal solutions can be integrated into their overall business strategy. Rachel was named as one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2023.

Bill Sapp

Senior Attorney at Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) in Atlanta

Bill Sapp focuses on protecting the swamps, tidal creeks, and salt marshes of the Georgia and Alabama coasts and leads SELC’s Georgia Coastal Initiative. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School and his Master of Law degree in Environmental Law from George Washington Law School (with highest honors). Before joining SELC, he served as an assistant regulatory attorney with the Chief Counsel’s office of the Army Corps in DC, clerked for Judge Edenfield in federal district court in Savannah, was an associate at Alston & Bird in Atlanta, and served as the lead wetlands attorney for Region 4 of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Taylor Sturm, PWS

PWS, with B. Laing Associates, Inc.

Mr. Taylor Sturm, PWS, has been a practicing wetland scientist since he joined the firm in 2012, and has been a partner since 2019. Taylor has delineated and/or assisted with delineating hundreds of acres of freshwater and tidal wetlands and has managed and conducted numerous surveys for endangered/threatened flora and fauna. In addition, Taylor conducts or assists with conducting environmental analyses such as air quality and sound level studies on a wide range of projects. Mr. Sturm is a Project Manager in his own right but frequently provides technical assistance in terms of AutoCAD drawings and data collection. A graduate from Stony Brook University, Taylor obtained a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and a B.A. in German Language and Literature. He currently holds the designation of Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS #3470). While not working he enjoys his time outdoors, often found birding and hiking throughout Long Island, as well as looking for owls and moths at night.

AIA Info

AIA Provider Statement:

HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).

This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

Course Title: Maine Wetlands Science, Law and Compliance

Delivery Method: Live Online

Course Description: This 7-hour course provides guidance to design professionals regarding wetland identification, explains the functions and importance of wetlands, identifies relevant state and federal laws and enforcement agencies, reviews the wetlands permitting process, offers strategies and techniques for wetland preservation, restoration, creation and enhancement, and considers ethical issues related to wetland preservation and development.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to identify wetlands by their vegetation and soils and understand the importance of the underlying hydrology and the role it plays in flood storage and conveyance, pollution and erosion control, wildlife habitat, recreation and more.

Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to reference the Maine Constitution, Maine Shoreland Zoning statute, the Federal Clean Water Act, and the National Food Security Act of 1985, and understand the regulations established by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other federal agencies.

Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to review strategies and techniques for preserving, restoring, creating and enhancing wetlands with a preference for onsite and in-kind restorations. Methods, benefits and drawbacks of wetland creation will also be discussed.

Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able to navigate ethical issues in wetland preservation and development and be able to act in the best interest of the public on wetlands issues by finding alternatives to wetland destruction, including preservation in development plans and convincing clients to preserve and restore wetlands.

LUs: 7.0                                                                                             LU Type: LU|HSWs.

Prerequisites: Experience with site development

Advance Preparation: None

Program Level: Intermediate

Course Expiration Date:12/01/2025

Complaint Resolution Policy:

Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.