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This entry was published on 2025-01-03
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SECTION 24-0301
Commissioner's study
Environmental Conservation (ENV) CHAPTER 43-B, ARTICLE 24, TITLE 3
§ 24-0301. Commissioner's study.

1. Except as provided in subdivision three of this section, the
commissioner shall supervise the maintenance of freshwater wetlands
maps, which shall be available to the public for inspection and
examination at the regional office of the department in which the
wetlands are wholly or partly located on the department's website.
Digital files of freshwater wetland maps may also be made available,
upon request, to the clerk of each county, city, town, or village in
which each such wetland or a portion thereof is located. The
commissioner may readjust the map at any time to more accurately depict
the approximate location of wetlands, provided however, that a
description of such changes shall be made available on the department's
website along with the date such changes were made.

2. Except as provided in subdivision three of this section, the
commissioner may, upon their own initiative, and shall, upon a written
request by a landowner whose land or a portion thereof may be included
within a wetland, or upon the written request of another person or
persons or an official body whose interests are shown to be affected,
cause to be delineated the boundary line or lines of a freshwater
wetland or a portion thereof. The commissioner shall undertake to
delineate the boundary of a particular wetland or wetlands, or a
particular part of the boundary thereof only upon a showing by the
applicant therefor of good cause for such delineation and the
establishment of such line. Such delineation shall be effective for a
period of five years from the date of such delineation.

3. The supervision of the maintenance of any freshwater wetlands map
or portion thereof applicable to wetlands within the Adirondack park,
the readjustment and precise delineation of wetland boundary lines and
the other functions and duties ascribed to the commissioner by
subdivisions one and two of this section shall be performed by the
Adirondack park agency, which shall make such maps available for public
inspection and examination at its headquarters and on the agency's
website.

4. There is a rebuttable presumption that mapped and unmapped areas
meeting the definition of a freshwater wetland in this article are
regulated and subject to permit requirements. This presumption may be
rebutted by presenting information to the department that the area does
not meet the definition contained in this article. A wetland delineation
by the department, or a verification by the department of a wetland
delineation by another party, is required to identify the regulated
freshwater wetland boundary in a particular location.

5. By January 1, 2025, in addition to any ongoing aerial photography,
soil surveys or field verifications being conducted by the department,
the department shall accept information from federal government sources,
other state sources, local governments, colleges, universities,
environmental organizations or other private agencies, regarding the
location of freshwater wetlands.

6. By January 1, 2025, the department shall make educational materials
available on its website to inform landowners and local governments of
the process for determining how to identify freshwater wetlands.