Conservation Commission

Conservation Commission public meetings are generally held on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM. Meetings are typically held in-person at the Merrimac Town Library. For information regarding specific public meetings, please visit this page to view posted agendas and minutes, or contact the Conservation Agent.

Current Scheduled Meeting Dates & Submittal Deadlines:

Please use the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection website to access the most current versions of the state wetlands permitting forms and any associated instructions.

Please also refer the Merrimac Conservation Commission’s instructions & local fees which are in addition to any state instructions and fees.

 State wetlands permitting forms can be accessed by clicking on the quick links below:

     –Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) – WPA Form 1

     –Notice of Intent (NOI) – WPA Form 3

     –Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation (ANRAD) – WPA Form 4A

     –Request for Certificate of Compliance (COC) – WPA Form 8A

If you are unsure which form you need, require any assistance completing the form, or have any questions, please contact conservation by email at jsmith@townofmerrimac.com or by phone at (978) 891-7238.

Information on the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and 310 CMR 10.00

• Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act: This link will take you to the online text of M.G.L. c. 131, § 40: The Wetlands Protection Act.
• 310 CMR 10.00: Wetlands Protection: This link will take you to the unofficial online version of the Secretary of State’s Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) for the Wetlands Protection Act. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issues the regulations found in 310 CMR 10.00 which implement the Wetlands Protection Act.
• Town of Merrimac Wetlands Protection Bylaw: This is the text of the local wetlands bylaw which is in addition to the state Wetlands Protection Act. 
• Town of Merrimac Wetlands Protection Regulations: These are the local regulations under the local Wetlands Protection Bylaw.
• Wetlands Information from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP): Information from MA DEP about wetlands including education, regulations, and guidance.
• Wetlands Protection Act Frequently Asked Questions from the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC): A quick read with answers provided by MACC to common questions about wetlands and the Wetlands Protection Act.

Additional Resources

• Legal Notices Posted in The Newburyport News: This link will allow you to view, by date, legal notices posted in the Newburyport News. Per 310 CMR, “notice of the time and place of the public meeting shall be given by the conservation commission at the expense of the person making the request not less than five days prior to such meeting, by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town in which the land is located.
• Merrimac GIS Mapping: GIS mapping can be a helpful tool to view potential wetlands on your property and abutting properties. Please note, the use of GIS mapping is for informational purposes only and is not a definitive resource to determine the presence of wetlands on a property. The only way to definitively locate wetlands, their boundaries, and their buffer zones is through a wetlands delineation. 
• MassMapper, State of Massachusetts GIS Mapping: GIS mapping can be a helpful tool to view potential wetlands on your property and abutting properties. Please note, the use of GIS mapping is for informational purposes only and is not a definitive resource to determine the presence of wetlands on a property. The only way to definitively locate wetlands, their boundaries, and their buffer zones is through a wetlands delineation. MassMapper can also be used to view certified vernal pool locations, potential vernal pool locations, mapped habitat for rare species, and estimated habitat for rare species.