wood_20210409

Homewood, Sue
From: Laura Wood _ Staff - LincolnHeightsES <[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, April 9, 2021 7:14 PM
To: SVC_DENR.publiccomments
Subject: [External] Wetlands Rules
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To Whom It May Concern at NCDENR:
Thank you for taking the time and energy to help protect one of our state's most valuable, and vulnerable,
resources. Wetlands reduce flooding, help filter and clean our water, recharge groundwater and are habitats
to countless species that need these waterways! Please vote to establish a state permitting program to
manage impacts to over a million acres of wetlands in North Carolina! We need the permitting program to
ensure that impacts to wetlands and small streams are better managed to protect neighbors and the public.
One aspect that needs review though, are projects with up to 1/2 acre of impacts (1/3 acre in the mountains)
because they should not be allowed to proceed without review and no mitigation to offset impacts. Since
most ongoing loss of wetlands and streams happens from hundreds of small projects rather than a few big
projects, the cumulative losses and impacts under the 1/2 acre threshold will be significant. Therefore, further
action needs to be taken to address this. Thank you for continuing to act in the best interests in the state of
North Carolina and our environmental resources. d d
Sincerely,
Laura Wood, MEd, NBCT
NC Certified Environmental Educator
Environmental Connections Integration Specialist
Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School
NC Green School of Excellence
2020 US Department of Education Green Ribbon School
Twitter @LJWOOD_LHECMES
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