Selectmen Remove Vernal Pool Protection Zone Bylaw Article from Warrant

At the April 22 Board of Selectmen’s meeting the Selectmen removed the Vernal Pool Protection Zone (VPPZ) Bylaw Article from the Annual Town Meeting Warrant. One reason cited by Selectman Rob Johnson was that the Massachusetts Wetland protection Act (WPA) covers vernal pools. This is not accurate, only the vernal pools found in wetlands are protected, which is a small percentage of the vernal pools found in Rehoboth. The vast majority of vernal pools are either Isolated Vegetated Wetlands (IVW) or Isolated Land Subject to Flooding (ILSF) which are not jurisdictional and therefore not protected if they contain less than one quarter acre foot of water and can therefore be filled without replicating elsewhere. If they hold more than one quarter acre foot of water they can be filled as long as the water storage capacity is replaced elsewhere on the property. Neither of the larger IVWs nor ILSFs have buffer zones.

Because many species of vertebrates and non-vertebrates breed only in vernal pools, and the pools are essential for the survival of several endangered species found in Rehoboth, the bylaw will be resubmitted for the Special Town Meeting this fall.

Robert Materne
Chairman,
Rehoboth Conservation Commission