Aerial surveillance helps Mass. crack down with wetlands

BOSTON – The Mass. Department of Environmental Protection imposed $338,090 in penalties involving 18 wetlands enforcement cases in the first three months of 2007 and required 233,465 square feet of wetlands and stream banks to be restored.
The actions were part of a continuing crackdown on illegal wetland alterations statewide that is being bolstered by an aerial surveillance initiative. The latter uses aerial reconnaissance and computer technology to identify wetlands that have been illegally filled or altered.
Seven cases in the first quarter involved alleged violations found through aerial surveillance, resulting in $129,500 in assessed penalties.
The first round of aerial surveillance, completed last year, uncovered nearly 1,500 sites of wetlands filling that affected about 482 acres statewide over a four-year period. Analysis of sites is ongoing to distinguish permitted work sites from illegally filled sites.
“While we have reached agreement in these cases, we continue to review the data from our most recent state flyover and will require all wetlands violators to correct those violations and pay substantial penalties,” MassDEP Acting Commissioner Arleen O’Donnell said in a news release.

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