Public Comment - Support_20210408 (135)

Strickland, Bev
From: Deborah Milkowski ([e-mail]) Sent You a Personal Message
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Sent: Thursday, April 8, 2021 11:11 AM
To: SVC_DENR.publiccomments
Subject: [External] Wetland Rules
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Dear NC Environmental Management Committee,
It is critical that our wetlands are protected. As North Carolina faces more intense storms we need intact
wetland ecosystems to alleviate the damage that these storms cause. This is not only an environmental issue.
Damage to wetland ecosystems will add up to more billions lost due to storm damage and it will affect our
coastal tourism industry.
I am writing in support of the proposed temporary wetland rules 15A NCAC 02H .1301 (Revision) and 15A
NCAC 02H .1400 (.1401 through .1405). I also ask that you make these rules stronger to better protect North
Carolina's irreplaceable wetland ecosystems.
Wetlands are critical to our state?s resilience. They act as filters for our drinking water and sponges to help
contain flood water. Wetlands are nurseries for fish and provide habitat for countless birds and other animals.
I?m writing in support of a temporary rule to protect North Carolina wetlands that are no longer protected by
federal law. However, the proposed rule in front of the EMC does not go far enough to preserve our depleted
wetlands; the threshold for permitting should be a quarter -acre, not a half -acre. A half -acre threshold will
allow for a cumulative loss of wetlands that would be devastating to water quality and our ability to manage
water during hurricanes and storms.
I ask that you vote in favor of a temporary rule of protection for wetlands that sets the threshold for
permitting at one quarter -acre or lower.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Sincerely,
Deborah Milkowski
573 Deer Run Rd
New Bern, NC 28562
[e-mail]
[phone]
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