Proposed Erosion & Sedimentation Rule Amendments
Buffer Variance Procedures and Criteria

Draft rules for amending the Erosion & Sedimentation Rule that resulted from the passage of SB 460 during the 2004 General Assembly are now being considered. Many citizens were involved in working to improve that bill from its original drafting and intent to weaken stream buffer requirements throughout the state. Maintaining the integrity of stream buffers is among the most cost-effective and efficient ways to protect water quality. Any efforts to weaken stream buffers will result in increased water quality problems.

You can find the public notice and proposed buffer rules at http://www.ganet.org/dnr/environ/
Click on Senate Bill 460 Rules Development (erosion and sedimentation).
Then you will see and can click on the 1) Proposed Rule, 2) Synopsis and/or 3) Public Notice and Comment Info.

The DNR Board will discuss and accept Public comment on the proposed rules at their October 27th meeting in Brunswick. Additional public hearings will be scheduled in November. The proposed rules will be considered for final adoption by the Board at its meeting on December 8,
2004 at 10:00 a.m.