Maine Natural Resources Protection Act Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants

Maine Natural Resources Protection Act Key Terms & Definitions

Adverse Impact: A negative effect on a protected natural resource or the environment, as defined in the Maine Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA).

Coastal Sand Dune Systems: Wind and wave produced sand formations along the coast, including sand deposits, beaches, and dunes, as defined in the NRPA.

Coastal Wetlands: Areas of land subject to tidal action or annual storm flowage, including salt marshes, brackish marshes, and freshwater wetlands, as defined in the NRPA.

Compensation: Measures taken to offset unavoidable adverse impacts to protected natural resources, such as restoration, enhancement, or preservation of similar resources.

Fragile Mountain Areas: Areas above 2,700 feet in elevation that have shallow soils and are particularly susceptible to erosion, as defined in the NRPA.

Freshwater Wetlands: Areas of land that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater and support wetland vegetation, as defined in the NRPA.

Great Ponds: Any inland body of water that has a surface area greater than 10 acres in its natural state, as defined in the NRPA.

Mitigation: Actions taken to avoid, minimize, or compensate for adverse impacts to protected natural resources.

Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA): A Maine state law that regulates activities in, on, over, or adjacent to protected natural resources, including rivers, streams, brooks, great ponds, fragile mountain areas, freshwater wetlands, coastal wetlands, coastal sand dune systems, and significant wildlife habitats.

Permit by Rule: A simplified permitting process for certain minor activities that have minimal impacts on protected natural resources, as defined in the NRPA.

Protected Natural Resource: A natural resource that is regulated under the NRPA, including rivers, streams, brooks, great ponds, fragile mountain areas, freshwater wetlands, coastal wetlands, coastal sand dune systems, and significant wildlife habitats.

Rivers, Streams, and Brooks: A channel between defined banks created by the action of surface water and characterized by the lack of terrestrial vegetation, as defined in the NRPA.

Significant Wildlife Habitat: Areas identified by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as being essential to the conservation of endangered or threatened species, high and moderate value deer wintering areas and travel corridors, seabird nesting islands, and significant vernal pools, as defined in the NRPA.

Stream Alteration: Any activity that alters the physical or chemical characteristics of a river, stream, or brook, as defined in the NRPA.

Tier 1 Wetlands: Freshwater wetlands of special significance, as defined in the NRPA, based on their size, habitat value, and other characteristics.

Tier 2 Wetlands: Freshwater wetlands that do not meet the criteria for Tier 1 wetlands but still provide important ecological functions and values, as defined in the NRPA.

Tier 3 Wetlands: Freshwater wetlands that have been altered or degraded and have limited ecological functions and values, as defined in the NRPA.

Vernal Pools: Temporary to semi-permanent pools of water that provide essential breeding habitat for certain amphibians and invertebrates, as defined in the NRPA.

Wetland Alteration: Any activity that alters the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of a wetland, as defined in the NRPA.

Wetland Functions and Values: The ecological services and benefits provided by wetlands, such as flood control, water quality improvement, and wildlife habitat, as defined in the NRPA.

Wetland Mitigation Bank: A site where wetlands are restored, enhanced, or preserved to provide compensatory mitigation credits for permitted impacts to wetlands, as defined in the NRPA.

Wetland of Special Significance: A freshwater wetland that meets certain criteria based on its size, habitat value, and other characteristics, as defined in the NRPA.

Keep up with the latest

A Note to Our Readers: We hope this guide is a valuable resource in helping you better understand the . However, it's not a substitute for professional advice and doesn't cover every scenario. Always consult with regulatory bodies and professionals for the most current advice and project-specific guidance.