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Mitigation Credits are part of a thriving ecosystem marketplace. These fungible assets can give return on investment and make the polluter pay–a principle enshrined in climate change agreements worldwide. This industry addresses the cross-sector interests of urban planning and natural resource management. At its core, it seeks to balance human health and biodiversity. It allows for the planning of our built environment alongside the replenishment of our water systems and species habitat. Conservation Economics allows private equity investments into restoring ecosystem functions. The

When it comes to mitigation banking, we are going to break down the federal agencies and laws that create this program. A few states, like Florida, have their own Section 404 programs in addition to the federal one and details specific to the Florida program can be found over here.  Don’t skip over just yet! While Florida does have its own 404 program, it still administers the federal one as well.

Mitigation banking is a market-based solution to natural resource management. The industry moves private equity, and not taxpayer money, into ecosystem preservation and restoration. The program originated over loss of the wetland ecosystem and has since grown to mitigate habitat loss for endangered species and water quality metrics. Mitigation banking is one mechanism for management in the nature resource portfolio, which includes government-funded strategies and other private efforts to restore ecosystems.   Understanding the basics of mitigation banking 

What are the determining factors to find out the quality of a wetland? UMAM SCORING GUIDANCE: THE SCORING OF EACH INDICATOR IS BASED ON WHAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR THE TYPE OF WETLAND OR SURFACE WATER ASSESSED Optimal (10) Condition is optimal and fully supports wetland/surface water functions Moderate (7) Condition is less than optimal, but sufficient to maintain most wetland/surface water functions Minimal (4) Minimal level of support of wetland/surface water functions Not Present (0) Condition is insufficient to provide wetland/surface water functions The Uniform Mitigation

HOW DID WE GET HERE? In the 1960’s the Federal Government encouraged land drainage and wetland destruction In 1970’s, increasing awareness that wetlands are valuable areas that provide important environmental functions.   In 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was implemented to govern environment protection standards In 1972, The Clean Water Act was established to ADDRESS Water quality standards of: WATER POLLUTION Eliminating discharge of untreated wastewater   Section 404 of CWA Requires a permit before impacts are made to a waterbody, including wetlands. AVOID AND MINIMIZE THE IMPACT & PROVIDE COMPENSATORY MITIGATION FOR

Since there are no mitigation banks within Lake Jesup, and a majority of the mitigation needs to stay in basin; we have offsite mitigation areas that are preserved with a conservation easement and donated to SJRWMD. The credit pricing is $425,000.00/State Credit for Offsite Mitigation UMAM Credits If Federal Credits are needed, it will be an additional $20,000.00/M-WRAP Credit SJRWMD will consider 60% in basin and 40% out of basin. Out of Basin Credits could come from Colbert Cameron Mitigation Bank which

My Career in Environmental Restoration began as an intern in 2004, since then I have worked closely with landowners who provide preservation, restoration and enhancement of large tracts of land to manage crucial ecosystems. To obtain a mitigation banking permit takes approx 2-8 years, and the landowner must have a conservation easement on the land as well as a Short Term & Long Term Trust Fund to ensure the land is managed in perpetuity. The Environmental Protection Division (EPA) authorizes wetland

The application of compensatory mitigation policy in the U.S. is responsible for slowing the loss of wetlands that protect coastal communities, for keeping rivers and streams clean for drinking and recreational use, for protecting the remaining stronghold habitats of our nation’s treasured wildlife — all while allowing the economy to continue to grow. Corporations and governments internationally accept compensatory mitigation as a sensible and necessary way of doing business while protecting public values. https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/340092-no-cleaning-up-after-ourselves-is-not-un-american/