waterquality

In 2002, EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance awarded a State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG grant) to NEIWPCC to conduct training of state wetlands regulatory and enforcement staff. STAG grants are intended to enhance the capacity of states and tribes to carry out compliance assurance activities within their jurisdictions. The goal of NEIWPCC's STAG project is to train wetland inspectors in order to improve compliance with state and federal regulations, which will result in enhanced protection of wetlands. Specifically, the training is intended to:

Increase inspectors' understanding of the various federal and state regulations related to wetlands protection, including (but not limited to) Sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act and storm water permitting for construction sites.

Increase inspectors' skill in applying the USACOE 1987 wetlands delineation manual, including delineation methods for challenging environments.

Increase inspectors' knowledge of compliance tools (enforcement actions, management practices to recommend, etc.) and skill in choosing the right tool(s) for each situation.

NEIWPCC will be working with our member states and EPA to develop and present training modules tailored to states' needs.

Proposals and progress reports for NEIWPCC’s project and other STAG grants can be found on EPA’s STAG grants web page.