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LANDOWNERS AND DEVELOPERS CITED FOR WETLANDS DESTRUCTION

Release Date: 05/11/2000
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2000

LANDOWNERS AND DEVELOPERS CITED FOR WETLANDS DESTRUCTION

On May 3, EPA filed an administrative complaint against the owners and developers of 10 properties in the tidewater area of Virginia for unauthorized discharges affecting water quality and wetlands. The discharges are associated with ditching and draining wetlands and stormwater runoff violations under the Clean Water Act.
Federal law requires construction projects of five acres or more obtain a permit to discharge pollutants in stormwater. These permits require control and treatment of stormwater runoff and discharges of dredged and fill materials. In the 10 properties, where alleged violations occurred, a minimum of five acres were disturbed. In one location, the disturbance included as many as 45 acres of wetlands. Wetlands are a critical habitat for waterfowl, amphibians and hundreds of plant species. Wetlands serve vital ecological and economic functions including naturally filtering pollutants from the water supply, curbing flooding and controlling erosion. For more information call Bonnie Smith, EPA Region 3, at 215-814-5543.


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