Code of Massachusetts Regulations
321 CMR - DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
Title 321 CMR 10.00 - Massachusetts Endangered Species Act
Part III - Designation of Significant Habitat
Section 10.38 - Appeals of Significant Habitat Designations

(1) Process. Within 21 days of the effective date of a regulation designating Significant Habitat, record owners of lands or interests in lands containing such Significant Habitat may appeal the Director's designation by sending a notice of appeal by certified mail to the Secretary of EOEA. The Secretary shall hold a hearing on such appeal within a reasonable time, and in no case later than 120 days after the effective date of the regulation designating the Significant Habitat, and shall make a determination thereon within 60 days of the hearing.

(2) Standard of Review. The Secretary of EOEA shall reverse a designation of the Director only upon a finding that the designation was without substantial basis in fact. For the purposes of 321 CMR 10.38, "without substantial basis in fact" shall mean that there is no credible scientific information in the record that supports the Director's finding and designation under 321 CMR 10.34.

(3) Reversal of Designation. Upon the reversal of a designation the Director shall rescind the regulation or a part thereof, which established such designation, as it affects the appealing record owner, and shall file with the registry of deeds or land court, as appropriate, a recordable document indicating said rescission if a Recording Document previously had been filed with respect to the land.