vvEPA
Wetlands Enforcement Team
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Environmental Programs

Environmental Assessment & Innovation Division
June 2009
EPA Region 3, Philadelphia, PA
Definition of Wetlands
The Clean Water Act
defines "wetlands" as:
"Those areas that are
inundated or saturated by
surface or ground water at
a frequency and duration
sufficient to support, and
that under normal
circumstances do support,
a prevalence of vegetation
typically adapted for life in
saturated soil conditions.
Wetlands generally include
swamps, marshes, bogs
and similar areas."
EPA and the Army
Corps of Engineers
share wetlands
enforcement
authority under the
Clean Water Act
§404, which
regulates the
discharge of
dredged or fill
material into U.S.
wetlands and
waterways.
In 2008, Region 3 enforcement actions resulted in 961 acres of
restored or compensated wetlands
Lead Enforcement Areas
. Delaware - all of Sussex County
. Pennsylvania - all of Pike, Potter, Elk,
Clearfield and Somerset Counties; parts of
Berks, Lehigh and Monroe Counties
. West Virginia - all of Berkeley, Hampshire,
Jefferson and Morgan Counties
Other Team Tasks
•	Participate in mitigation banking initiatives.
•	Identify jurisdictional boundaries.
•	Provide training and assistance.
•	Develop and conduct educational outreach.
•	Perform functional assessments.
National Wetlands Helpline 800-832-7828
http: / / www.epa.gov/ reg3esdl/wetlands/wetland_enforcement_team.htm

-------