New York Freshwater Wetlands Law and Compliance
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
8:30 am – 3:30 pm EDT
Agenda:
Identifying Wetlands
Presented by Greg Fleischer, PWS
- Presence of wetland vegetation
- Identification of wetland soils
- Importance of underlying wetland hydrology
Understanding Federal and New York Wetlands Laws and Enforcement
Presented by Austin Scarborough
- The Federal Clean Water Act
- National Food Security Act of 1985
- Federal coastal protections laws and regulations
- Freshwater Wetlands Act and regulations
- 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
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Wetlands Permitting Process
Presented by Taylor Sturm, PWS
- 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 Rachel Schultz, Ph.D.
- 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
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.
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Credits
Engineers
6.0 PDHs
Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
AIA - American Institute of Architects
6.0 HSW LUs
Landscape Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
6.0 HSW PDHs
Attorneys
7.0 CLE Hours
Floodplain Managers
6.0 ASFPM CECs
APA/AICP - American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners
6 CM
Continuing Education Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for landscape architects in New York.
HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York engineers, architects and landscape architects via its registration with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA/CES).
The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 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 6.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.
HalfMoon Education is certified by the New York State CLE Board as an Accredited Provider of CLE programs. This nontraditional course offers 7.0 Areas of Professional Practice CLE hours, which are appropriate for experienced attorneys. HalfMoon Education will provide financial hardship assistance to New York attorneys who wish to attend this event. Contact Frank Chapman at fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org for details and to apply.
The Association of State Floodplain Managers has approved this course for 6.0 CECs for floodplain managers.
HalfMoon Education is an approved CM Provider with the American Planning Association. This course is registered for CM|6 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).
*On-Demand Credits*
The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:
6.0 HSW LUs (AIA)
6.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES)
Speakers
Greg Fleischer, PWS
Capital Environmental Consultants, Inc., in Kingston, NYMr. Fleischer is the founder and principal of Capital Environmental Consultants, Inc. He is an environmental scientist and professional wetland scientist with more than 15 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. Mr. Fleischer has conducted wetland and ecological investigations at properties throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, and the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley. His areas of expertise include all aspects of federal, state, and local wetland analysis including freshwater and tidal delineation, specializing in comprehensive determinations for routine, atypical, and problem wetlands. Mr. Fleischer has extensive experience developing solutions and providing strategic advice for a wide range of clients and projects. He holds a BS degree in Biology from SUNY New Paltz and an MS degree in Environmental Science from Pace University.
Austin Scarborough
Young/Sommer LLC, in Albany, NYAustin T. Scarborough joined Young/Sommer in 2023 and focuses his area of practice on energy, environmental, and land use law. Prior to joining, Austin worked at other law firms in the Capital Region, where he assisted clients on various energy, environmental, land use, and cybersecurity matters. He provides counsel on matters such as environmental compliance, due diligence, and obtaining permits and approvals at local and state levels. He also regularly presents on wetlands issues and updates at the state and federal level. Mr. Scarborough graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and received his J.D. degree from Vermont Law School, where he concentrated his studies on environmental, energy, and regulatory law.
Rachel Schultz, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Wetland Science at SUNY BrockportDr. Schultz’s research focuses on the interaction between ecosystem functioning and plant community (diversity and composition). Her specialties include wetland ecology, ecosystem ecology, plant functional traits, and carbon cycling dynamics. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University.
Taylor Sturm, PWS
B. Laing Associates, Inc., in Jericho, NYMr. Sturm has been a practicing wetland scientist since he joined the firm in 2012 and has been a partner since 2019. He 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, Mr. Sturm conducts or assists with conducting environmental analyses such as air quality and sound level studies on a wide range of projects. He 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, Mr. Sturm obtained a B.S. degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and a B.A. degree 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: New York Freshwater Wetlands Law and Compliance
Delivery Method: Live Online
Course Description: This 6.5-hour course explores New York freshwater wetlands law and compliance, delving into wetland identification, federal and state regulations, permitting processes, and strategies for preservation, restoration, creation, and enhancement. The course will explain how to identify wetlands based on vegetation and soil characteristics, key federal and state wetlands laws, the wetlands permitting process, and explore situations in which to preserve, restore, protect, and enhance New York wetlands.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify wetlands based on soil and vegetation and explain the importance of underlying wetland hydrology.
Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to explore provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act, the National Food Security Act of 1985, and New York state regulations, as well as identify enforcing entities.
Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to navigate the wetlands permitting and certification process, including notice provisions, the review process, mitigation/compensation requirements and the appeals process.
Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to explain the importance of wetlands and their role in flood storage, pollution control, erosion mitigation and wildlife habitat, explore enhancement techniques, and utilize various pathways for wetland restoration.
LUs: 6
LU Type: LU|HSWs
Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 04/11/2028
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.
6 Knowledge Points
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