OCR error (C:\Conversion\JobRoot\00000A15\tiff\2000U20I.tif): Unspecified error ------- Next Steps These efforts are only the first steps that the Clinton Administration is taking to reduce the burden of Federal wetlands regulations, to minimize Federal overlap, and to encourage greater participation by State, Tribal and local governments in protecting wetlands. Activities currently under development include— • developing an administrative process to minimize the regulatory burden on small landowners and farmers for small projects on their land Further Information A copy of the Administration Wet- lands Plan titled "Protecting America's Wetlands: A Fair, Flexible, and Effective Approach" may be requested from the EPA Wetlands Information Hotline (contractor operated). establishing clear and firm deadlines for Corps of Engineers permit decisions allowing administrative appeals of permit denials and wetland jurisdictional determinations as an alternative to expensive and time- consuming litigation establishing a wetland delineator certification program to increase the government's reliance on wetlands delineations performed by private experts, providing greater certainty and flexibility to applicants improving wetlands assessment techniques to allow for better consideration of wetlands functions in permit decisions; clarifying exemptions of manmade wetlands from jurisdiction developing guidance that will facilitate the use of programmatic general permits—giving State and local governments more flexibility in wetlands protection and reducing unnecessary duplication expanding the Wetlands Reserve Program into all 50 States and allowing more types of land into the program. For more information, contact the EPA Wetlands Information Hotline at 1-800-832-7828 (contractor operated). ------- |