Vol. 29, No. 8 ● October 28, 2021
In This Issue:
MDSPGP-6: The Sixth Time’s a Charm
Endangered and Threatened Species Alert: Survey Window for Virginia’s Wood Turtle Open
MDSPGP-6: The Sixth Time's a Charm
The Maryland State Programmatic General Permit-6 (MDSPGP-6) went into effect on October 1, 2021; replacing the MDSPGP-5. With the MDSPGP-6 issuance, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Baltimore and Philadelphia Regulatory Branches – provided a summary table of “notable modifications” to clarify the differences between MDSPGP-5 and MDSPGP-6. The new permit contains two key updates (see below for details). WSSI previously provided an overview for all the changes in our December 2020 Field Notes.
Endangered and Threatened Species Alert: Survey Window for Virginia’s Wood Turtle Open
If your project site in northern Virginia includes a clear, moderate- to fast-flowing perennial stream and a relatively undisturbed floodplain, it may be home to the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta). As a state-threatened species in Virginia, the wood turtle is protected by state endangered species laws. You can minimize the impact this species can have on your project schedule by having WSSI conduct a wood turtle survey early in the development process in the prescribed survey windows: October 15 – December 15 and February 15 – April 15.
Bald Eagle Nest Survey Season Approaching
The bald eagle breeding season begins December 15 and continues through July 15 in the mid-Atlantic region. The start of the breeding season serves as a reminder that certain activities are restricted within the vicinity of bald eagle nests to ensure that the species and their nests remain undisturbed.
If you are planning to develop land that contains bald eagle habitat, the federal regulations and state guidelines that protect this species could affect your development plans. Though breeding season begins December 15, the ideal time to evaluate whether or not nests are active and search for the eagles themselves is mid-February through the end of March.
