About the Wetlands Council

RSA 21-O:5-a establishes a Wetlands Council composed of five state agency representatives, and eight members of the public appointed by Governor and Council for a term of three years or until a successor is chosen. The Wetlands Council is responsible for advising the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services with respect to department policies and administrative rules as they relate to New Hampshire wetlands and protected shorelands, and hear all administrative appeals of department decisions relating to same.  

Duties of the Wetlands Council

• To consult with and advise the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services or his/her designee, with respect to policy, programs, goals, and operations of the Department as they relate to wetlands and protected shorelands with particular emphasis on long-range planning for the Department, and public education relative to the functions of the Department.

• To hear all administrative appeals from Department decisions made under RSA 482-A relative to wetlands, and/or under RSA 483-B relative to shoreland protection, and shall decide all disputed issues of fact in such appeals in accordance with RSA 21-O:14.

• To consider all proposed rules presented by the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services relative to wetlands and shoreland protection, prior to the Department filing of a notice of proposed rules under RSA 541-A:6, and within 15 days shall present, in writing, any objections of proposed rules to the Commissioner.

• To adopt rules to govern its proceedings in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of RSA 541-A, notwithstanding RSA 21-O:14.

• To approve disbursements of the aquatic resource compensatory mitigation fund established under RSA 482-A:29.

• To perform any additional functions assigned to it by amendment to RSA 21-O:5-a.

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