Wetland Resources
Browse Wetland Resources
Wetland Resources Accordion
Track upcoming board meetings, hearings, and active administrative reports.
- BPW Meetings Schedule
- Reports & Recommendations [link to relevant documents here]
- Hearing Notices - none at this time
- Other Public Notices - The rate for the In Lieu Fee for tidal wetland project impacts will be adjusted to $2.48/per square foot ($108,000/acre) starting in January 2026. View - PDF the memo that describes this change.
The paperwork required to start your project and the current fee frameworks.
Joint Federal/State Application for the Alteration of Any Tidal Wetland in Maryland
The official MDE portal and forms for submitting Joint Federal/State applications required for tidal wetland activities, shoreline erosion projects, and piers.
Horizontal Directional Drilling Frac-Out Contingency Plan - PDF
The Board of Public Works (BPW) model plan outlining required monitoring, detection, containment, and cleanup procedures for directional drilling operations.
BPW License Template (2021-06-02) - PDF
The official standard tidal wetlands license template approved by the Board of Public Works detailing standard and special license conditions.
Important Fee Notice: Standard wetlands license fees were eliminated in 2021. However, compensation or mitigation fees may still apply. Starting January 2026, the adjusted In Lieu Fee for tidal wetland project impacts is $2.48 per square foot ($108,000 per acre).
The legal text and COMAR rules governing Maryland's waterways.
Title 16 Wetlands and Riparian Rights: Environment Article, Maryland Annotated Code
The founding state statutory law governing state and private tidal wetlands, riparian rights, and regulatory authority in Maryland.
COMAR 23.02.04: Board of Public Works State Tidal Wetlands Licensing Procedures - PDF
The official Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) text detailing BPW licensing categories, standards, procedures, and mitigation requirements.
COMAR 26.24: Department of the Environment - Tidal Wetlands
Department of the Environment regulations governing tidal wetland permits, application review criteria, and structures.
Search COMAR Title 23 (Board of Public Works)
Direct access to the Division of State Documents online portal to search all regulations under Title 23.
Search COMAR Title 26 (Department of the Environment)
Direct access to search all environmental regulatory subtitles under Title 26.
Federal partners involved in the joint licensing and environmental review processes.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Baltimore District
Federal regulatory oversight for activities involving dredging, filling, or construction in navigable waters and jurisdictional wetlands in Maryland.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 3
Mid-Atlantic regional office overseeing federal environmental standards, Clean Water Act regulations, and Chesapeake Bay watershed protection.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Federal conservation and habitat agency providing environmental reviews, threatened and endangered species consultations, and wildlife protection guidance
Maryland agencies that oversee, review, and enforce tidal wetland activities.
Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE): Wetlands and Waterways
Main portal for Maryland's wetlands protection, policy, and resources.
MDE Tidal Wetland Permits and Licenses
Guidelines, applications, checklists, and fee schedules for tidal wetland authorizations and living shoreline projects.
Information on regional enforcement, reporting unauthorized activities, and environmental compliance contacts.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
State natural resource stewardship, environmental review, shoreline management, and conservation programs.
Maryland Marine Contractors Licensing Board
Licensing requirements, training, and directories for contractors performing regulated marine work in Maryland.
Regional partnership driving science, data, and restoration targets across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.