Wetlands and Stormwater
NYSDEC Issues Final Revised Freshwater Wetlands Regulations
On December 31, 2024, NYSDEC announced the adoption of final revisions to its freshwater wetlands regulations, 6 NYCRR Part 664. The revised regulations took effect on January 1, 2025. These regulations implement amendments that the New York State Legislature enacted in 2022 to Article 24 of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL)—the State’s Freshwater Wetlands Act…
NYSDEC Seeks Input on Regulations Implementing Major Expansion of State’s Freshwater Wetlands Jurisdiction
On January 3, 2024, NYSDEC announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making for potential revisions to its freshwater wetlands regulations, accompanied by a complete pre-proposal draft of revised 6 NYCRR Part 664 regulations. NYSDEC is accepting public comments on its draft regulations through February 20, 2024. Background: 2022 Statutory Changes to the Freshwater Wetlands…
EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Publish Final “Waters of the United States” Rule
On April 21, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (together, the “Agencies”) published a final rule in the Federal Register redefining the term “waters of the United States” (“WOTUS”) under the Clean Water Act (“CWA”). The Agencies previously issued pre-publication notice of the final rule on January 23, 2020. …
DEC Releases Flood Risk Management Guidance Affecting the Flood Hazard Area Applied to State Permit Applications
On June 20, 2018, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) released two draft flood risk management guidance documents intended to advise New York state agencies on how to incorporate the consideration of future climate risks, including risks of sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding, into existing regulatory processes. The non-binding guidance is…
New York City Proposes First Stormwater Management Program Regulating Construction Runoff
For the first time, the City of New York has proposed a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to describe how the City will satisfy the requirements of its SPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. This means that, as soon as this fall, certain large construction projects in the City will need City Department of…
WOTUS Rule Litigation Abounds — New York State and Others Sue EPA and Army Corps over Delayed Implementation of Obama-Era WOTUS Rule
On February 6, 2018, New York State filed suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (together, “the agencies”) for the suspension of a 2015 regulation seeking to clarify the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), dubbed the “Clean Water Rule”…