Wetlands provide imp​ortant socio-economic be​​​nefits and ecosystem services such as storing and conveying flood waters, recharging groundwater, improving water quality by filtering and storing nutrients, and providing shoreline protection and critical habitat f​or a multitude of plant and animal species. The Maryland Department of the Environment’s Wetlands and Wa​terways Protection Program protects Maryland wetlands and waterways from loss and degradation. This protection is achieved through the regulation of the draining, dredging and filling of tidal and nontidal wetlands, the nontidal wetland buffer and waterways, including the nontidal​ 100-year floodplain through a permitting or authorization process implemented in close coordination with the federal government (specifically, the Army Corps of Engineers).

While there are ​some exemptions from permitting requirements for certain activities, permits or letters of authorization from the State are generally required if a property owner plans to undertake an activity that results in the draining of a wetland or the addition of fill materials to a State regulated wetland or waterway. Examples of activities which require permits from the Wetlands and Waterways Protection Program include building a new pier, adding a platform or boat lift to an existing pier, dredging a boat slip, putting in a bulkhead, filling in a nontidal wetland or buffer for the construction of a structure such as a shed or the expansion or creation of a patio or driveway, and, creating a stream crossing or putting a utility pipeline under a stream.

The Wetlands and Waterways Protection Program also provides Maryland-regulated floodplain and FEMA Floodplain information to the public. With climate change increasing precipitation, sea level rise and flooding in Maryland, protecting and restoring wetlands, waterways, and their buffers will be critical to securing a resilient future for Maryland’s citizens and ecosystems. To learn more about MDE’s Water and Science Administration’s detailed climate adaptation goals and strategies please visit the WSA Climate Change site​​.

State Application, Forms and Related Information

• State Application Processing Procedures

• Joint Evaluation Meetings and Link to Form

• PreApplication Meetings and Link to Form

• Application Fee Schedules

• Applications and Forms

• Tidal Wetland Joint Federal/State Application for the Alteration of any Tidal Wetland in Maryland A.K.A. "Short Form" - Required for submission of all tidal applications effective March 31, 2018  

• Application Instruction Booklet and Sample Activity Guidelines and Drawings 

• Electronically Accepted Permit Applications

• Maryland State Programmatic General Permit-6  MDSPGP-6 (effective October 1, 2021) from the Army Corps of Engineers website  ​
  

Frequently Asked Questions

View the Wetlands and Waterways FAQs

Announcements

• Cancelled- Talbot County Dept. of Public Works Wastewater Force Main Pre-Scheduled Hearing for Tuesday, September 27, 2022 was CANCELLED as No Hearing Request Received.

• The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust grant program to provide funds for nontidal wetland restoration, creation, and enhancement projects throughout Maryland.

• Streamlining Rural Broadband projects: User’s Guide to Streamlining Protective Environmental Permitting & Securing Resource Access

  Guidance on navigating the broadband permitting process - developed by MDE, DNR, MDOT, MDP and DoIT

• Notice: Use of the new JPA Tidal Short Form is being required for submission of tidal applications effective March 31, 2018  (JPA_Tidal_ShortForm_Notice_of_Use.pdf)

• Notice of Intent to Revise Maryland's Nontidal Wetland Mitigation Regulations

• Requesting Feedback on Methodology to Revise Nontidal Wetland ILF Rates

• Best Management Practices for Working in Nontidal Wetlands, Wetland Buffers, Waterways, and 100-Year Floodplains

• Tidal Wetland Regulations for Living Shorelines

• Division Directory
  

• Marine Contractors Licensing Board (MCLB) and other ​Environmental Boards information
  

Public Information

Public Notices and Hearings

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Project Information

 

​ ​Bethany Glen/Elm Street Development - Howard County:​​ ​​​​ A VIRTUAL Public Informational Hearing is scheduled for June 5, 2023 starting at 7:00 p.m. Hearing information and related project documents will be available from the web link at: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WetlandsandWaterways/Pages/BethanyGlen.aspx for Bethany Glen/Elm Street Development.


​ ​Wicomico Regional Airport (21-NT-2114/23-WQC-0014/202162246; AI No. 23101) - Wicomico County:​​ ​​​​ A VIRTUAL a virtual public informational hearing has been scheduled for June 28, 2023. To participate in the public informational hearing, please use the following link, meet.google.com/jdv-xegc-yxc or dial 1-507-591-1127, PIN: ‪155 141 390#. Hearing information and related project documents will be available from the website at: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WetlandsandWaterways/Pages/Wicomico-Regional-Airport.aspx


​MICROSOFT CORPORATION-YEL01 (20-NT-0262 /202061758 / AI# 75055) - Anne Arundel County:​​ ​​​​ Notice of Permit Decision and related project documents are available from the web link at: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WetlandsandWaterways/Pages/Microsoft-YEL01.aspx for MICROSOFT CORPORATION-YEL01 (20-NT-0262 /202061758 / AI# 75055).


Patuxent Commons (Project #22-NT-3282/202261946)- Howard County: ​​ ​​​​ A VIRTUAL Public Informational Hearing was held on Monday, May 8 at 7:00 pm, via Google Meet. The Hearing Transcript and related project documents are available from https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WetlandsandWaterways/pages/Patuxent-Commons.aspx for Patuxent Commons.


​Mill Swamp Mitigation Bank - Charles County:​​ ​​​​ A VIRTUAL Public Informational Hearing was held on April 24, 2023. Hearing information and related project documents are available from the web link at: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/WetlandsandWaterways/pages/mill-swamp-mitigation-bank.aspx for Mill Swamp Mitigation Bank.
The Recording from the April 24th Public Informational Hearing is now available (MP4 format).​ Please note that the public informational meeting comment period has been extended to May 22, 2023.​​

Corkers Creek, Pocomoke State Park, Worcester County:​​ ​​​​ ​ A virtual public informational hearing was held on Tuesday, February 21, 2022 at 7:00 P.M. Transcripts from the February 21st hearing and project related presentation are available at the following links:

• ​Video Transcript (MP4 format) - Corkers Creek​
• Written Transcript (PDF) - Corkers Creek
• Applicant (MD DNR) Presentation (PDF) ​​​​for Corkers Creek

​

NOTICE OF PRE-SCHEDULED HEARING CANCELLATION: Talbot County Dept. of Public Works Wastewater Force Main Pre-Scheduled Hearing for Tuesday, September 27, 2022 was CANCELLED as No Hearing Request was received by the September 23, 2022 deadline.

​Conowingo Hydroelectric Project / Constellation Energy Generation, LLC (formerly Exelon Generation Company, LLC) - more information is available.

​​DRG/WSSI Umbrella Mitigation Banking Instrument and Addendum #1 Lake Elkhorn Stream Mitigation Site - Public Comment Period Extended to February 23, 2022
Video from the December 8, 2021 Virtual Public Hearing for the DRG/WSSI Umbrella Mitigation Banking Instrument and Addendum #1 - Lake Elkhorn


EVER FORWARD Grounding, Anne Arundel County, MD (MDE Wetlands and Waterways project 202261142/22-WL-0268) - Public Notice and related documents are available.

McGill Run Mitigation Bank, Baltimore County, MD (MDE Wetlands and Waterways project 19-NT-0064/201960458) - a recording of the July 11, 2022 public hearing is available from the RSI website at: https://resourceenvironmentalsol-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/lcallens_res_us/EfhwROohE31HkPIY6ZYTd_0BFmtEu83ARiqCX50jG52d8Q?e=PTTlc

MDOT SHA/I-495 I-270 Managed Lane Study (20-NT-0114 / 202060649 / AI 168251/ 22-WQC-0023) - Notice of WQC decision and other project documents are available on the project page.

WERRLEIN WSSC LLC (202161394/21-NT-0448), 522 Defense Highway, Annapolis Maryland 21401, has applied for the redevelopment of a vacant Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) administrative facility & associated parking lots into a single-family residential subdivision with associated infrastructure. - A Virtual Public Informational Hearing was held on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, with a short informational session from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. The public informational hearing began at 7:00 p.m.  The comment period was extended to January 15, 2022.

Past Projects

 

• Abingdon Business Park - BTC III I-95 Logistics Center LLC (CREG/Westport I, LLC) 

• Chesapeake Utilities Pipeline Project - Virtual Informational Public Hearing​ - A virtual public informational hearing was held on September 17, 2020.  A video recording of the hearing is available.

• Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company - Del-Mar Energy Virtual Informational Public Hearing - A virtual public informational ​hearing was held on July 7, 2020. For project plans and a video recording of the hearing, please see the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company project ​web page.

• Jabez Branch Tributary 3, Millersville, Maryland - Request for Water Quality Certification (21-WQC-0326) for Jabez Branch Tributary 3, Millersville, Maryland

• ​MdTA ​​I-95 ETL Northern Section Extension Section 200 Phase II, Nontidal Wetlands and Waterways Application Modification No. 19-NT-0150/201960846: MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, 300 Authority Drive, Baltimore 21222

• ​MdTA I-95 Section 200 Improvements Project, I-95 Electronic Toll Lane (ETL)​ Phase I ​ - Modification Request - NOTE: The public comment period for the public informational hearing was extended until 5:00pm, April 1, 2021. A virtual public hearing was held at 6:30 p.m. on March 4, 2021.​

• ​ MDOT SHA/I-495 I-270 Managed Lane Study - Joint Public Notice, July 10, 2020 - MDE, Nontidal Wetlands and Waterways Tracking Numbers 20-NT-0114 / 202060649 / AI 168251, COE Application Number NAB-2018-02152. NOTICE: The comment period was extended until Monday, November 9, 2020.

• ​ Tradepoint Atlantic Wetlands License No. 13-0966(R2)

• ​ Trappe East Holding Business Trust (20-NT-2058/202061311) - Lakeside at Trappe, Talbot County; Project Documents are available. Notice of Permit Decision (PDF) is available, 10/28/2022

Water Quality Certifications (WQCs)

• Water Quality Certification information and application instructions


• Issued Water Quality Certifications for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 (available as PDFs)