State Wetlands Regulation Guides
Michigan recently completed a Cumulative Impacts Assessment Guide for Michigan's Wetland Permit Program.
Michigan's Wetland Protection Act provides for the consideration of cumulative impacts to wetlands, but
due to differences in types of wetlands and development pressures across the state, cumulative impacts
have not been considered consistently during permit review in the Michigan Department of Natural
Resources. In 1994, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council was hired by the MDNR to develop guidance for
assessing cumulative impacts to wetlands. A report prepared by the council examines existing
techniques for assessing cumulative impacts and makes recommendations to the MDNR for their
incorporation into the permit review process. The report also identifies data needed to assess
cumulative impacts and information on decision-making based on cumulative impacts to help withstand
legal challenges. A literature review and an appendix of data sources are included.
The program was supported by the Coastal Enhancements Program authorized under the Coastal Zone
Management Act.72
The State of Wisconsin recently established a Wetlands Professional Certification Program to improve
voluntary efforts for compliance with wetland protection programs and to educate permit applicants
concerning requirements of the state's wetland protection program. The project was conducted in two
phases by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.
During the first phase, training materials were prepared; A Basic Guide to Wisconsin's Wetlands and
Their Boundaries now provides a science text to assist state and local officials in implementing the
state's wetland programs. The second phase provided training concerning the contents of the guide.
Three Basic Wetland Delineation Training Workshops were held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program. Experts in wetland policy, plant ecology,
soils, and hydrology conducted the training through classroom instruction and field exercises.
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State Administration of "Section 404" Permits
Two methodologies by which Indiana might seek delegation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of
Section 404 permitting requirements are described in Governmental
Coordination and Streamlining.
