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Conservation Groups Tell Committee Permitting Is Major Barrier to Large‑Scale Salt‑marsh and Wetland Restoration
Summary
Mass Audubon, Trustees and other restoration practitioners urged the committee to simplify and consolidate permitting for ecological restoration projects — including chapter 91 waterfront licenses — so low‑risk salt‑marsh and river restoration can be scaled up to improve flood protection, biodiversity and carbon storage.
Restoration practitioners and conservation groups asked the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to give state agencies authority to streamline permitting for ecological restoration projects and to exempt very low‑risk activities — like raking historically ditched marshes — from duplicative processes.
Alex Hackman of Mass Audubon said the current environmental permitting system "was never intended for this kind of work" and is the "number one barrier" to scaling dam removals and marsh restoration.…
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