MN CSW Permit Section 22 Requirements for Discharges to Wetlands MN CSW Permit Section 22 Requirements for Discharges to Wetlands

SECTION 22 REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCHARGES TO WETLANDS

22.1

Requirements for Discharges to Wetlands.

22.2

If the project has any discharges with the potential for significant adverse impacts to a wetland, (e.g., conversion of a natural wetland to a stormwater pond) permittees must demonstrate that the wetland mitigative sequence has been followed in accordance with items 22.3 or 22.4.

22.3

If the potential adverse impacts to a wetland on a specific project site are addressed by permits or other approvals from an official statewide program (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 program, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or the State of Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act) that are issued specifically for the project and project site, permittees may use the permit, decision or other determination issued by these agencies to show the potential adverse impacts are addressed. For purposes of this permit, deminimus actions are determinations by the permitting agency that address the project impacts, whereas a non-jurisdictional determination does not address project impacts.

22.4

If there are impacts from the project not addressed in one of the permits, decisions or other determinations discussed in item 22.3 (e.g., permanent inundation or flooding of the wetland, significant degradation of water quality, excavation, filling, draining), permittees must minimize all adverse impacts to wetlands by utilizing appropriate measures. Permittees must use measures based on the nature of the wetland, its vegetative community types and the established hydrology. These measures include in order of preference:

a. avoid all significant adverse impacts to wetlands from the project and post-project discharge;

b. minimize any unavoidable impacts from the project and post-project discharge;

c. provide compensatory mitigation when the permittees determine(s) that there is no reasonable and practicable alternative to having a significant adverse impact on a wetland. For compensatory mitigation, wetland restoration or creation must be of the same type, size and whenever reasonable and practicable in the same watershed as the impacted wetland.