Conservation commission amends enforcement order after contractor-submitted restoration plan found unacceptable

East Longmeadow's Conservation Commission on May 13 amended an enforcement order for a wetlands violation at 30 Vineland Avenue after reviewing a restoration plan submitted by the contractor who did the on-site work. Commissioners said the submission did not meet the requirement that a restoration plan be prepared by a qualified wetland scientist.

Staff told the commission the plan was "not submitted by a wetland scientist" and that the material provided looked like documentation created by the paving contractor who performed the work, not a certified consultant. The commission agreed that the restoration plan must be prepared by a qualified wetland scientist from the list the department provides and voted to amend the enforcement order (EO 2025-06) to make that explicit and to reissue the order.

The amended enforcement order will include clearer language in the cover letter stating the respondent is still out of compliance as of the letter date and will attach the department's list of approved wetland consultants. Commissioners planned to sign and re-issue the enforcement order at the meeting; staff will track responses and any future required submissions from a certified wetland scientist.

Why it matters: Restoration plans prepared by properly qualified professionals are required to ensure that remediation measures protect wetland functions and meet regulatory standards under the Wetlands Protection Act and local bylaw.

Next steps: Staff will prepare an amended enforcement order with explicit noncompliance language, attach the approved consultant list, and request the required wetland-scientist-prepared restoration plan from the respondent.