If you have searched for help meeting Florida’s water quality permitting requirements, you may have encountered two different terms — Stormwater Nutrient Credits and Water Quality Enhancement Credits — and wondered whether they refer to the same thing. The short answer is yes, with an important distinction: they describe the same category of compliance tool, but one is the informal term that has been in common use for years, and the other is the formal legal term established by Florida
New Economic Research Confirms the Value of Florida’s Wetland Mitigation Banking Market A new study published in the May 2026 issue of The American Economic Review, “Conservation Priorities and Environmental Offsets: Markets for Florida Wetlands” by Daniel Aronoff (MIT) and Will Rafey (UCLA), provides the most comprehensive economic analysis to date of Florida’s wetland mitigation banking market. The findings reinforce what industry participants have long understood: mitigation banking delivers substantial economic value while supporting Florida’s regulatory framework for wetland conservation. Key Findings
Wood Stork Delisted After Decades of Wetland Habitat Recovery The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced on February 9, 2026 that the wood stork has been removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife. The delisting became final on March 9, 2026, marking a recovery milestone with deep ties to wetland conservation across Florida and the Southeast. A Recovery Built on Wetland Habitat When the wood stork was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1984, the population had
Army Corps Signals Major Changes for Mitigation Bank Permitting On April 2, 2026, Lee Forsgren, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, announced at the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) Spring meeting that the Corps is moving toward a new nationwide permit (NWP) specifically designed for mitigation banking projects. What’s expected to change: The new NWP would not be bound by the current half-acre impact threshold. Forsgren was direct about the reasoning: mitigation banks exist to create positive environmental
Federal Wetlands Oversight Returns to Florida A recent ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. has significant implications for anyone involved in development, permitting, or mitigation banking in Florida. On March 27, 2026, the court upheld a 2020 decision finding that the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act when they approved Florida’s state-run wetlands permitting program. The ruling returns oversight of Section 404 Clean Water Act permits — those
Understanding Wetlands: From Hydric Soils to Compensatory Mitigation Wetlands are among the most regulated and ecologically valuable landscapes in the United States — yet most people couldn’t define one if asked. Understanding what a wetland actually is, how scientists identify them in the field, and what happens when one is impacted by development is essential knowledge for anyone working in real estate, construction, engineering, or environmental consulting in Florida and beyond. This blog breaks it all down. What Is a Wetland? Most people
Mitigation Banking 101: How Does Mitigation Banking Work? Mitigation banking is a market-based environmental solution designed to balance economic development with the protection of natural resources. Instead of relying on taxpayer funding, mitigation banking directs private investment toward ecosystem restoration and long-term conservation. The concept originally developed to address the widespread loss of wetlands but has since expanded to include habitat protection for endangered species, water quality improvements, and other ecological services. At its core, mitigation banking
The Balancing Act Between Growth and Wetland Conservation in Florida On March 10, 2026, Victoria Bruce, CEO of The Mitigation Banking Group, joined an expert panel at the Volusia County Association for Responsible Development (VCARD) seminar in DeLand, Florida to discuss how Florida manages the balance between growth and wetland conservation. The full presentation is now available to watch below. What Was Covered The program brought together regulatory professionals, environmental consultants, and industry leaders for a morning of discussion on wetland
Wetland Mitigation Bank Size in Florida: How Large Are Mitigation Banks? Wetland mitigation banks are large-scale environmental restoration projects designed to offset unavoidable wetland impacts from development. One of the most common questions developers, landowners, and investors ask is: How large is a wetland mitigation bank? Understanding wetland mitigation bank size is essential when evaluating ecological benefits, credit generation potential, regulatory approval, and overall project viability. What Is the Typical Size of a Wetland Mitigation Bank? Wetland mitigation banks vary significantly in size depending
The Process of Establishing a Wetland Mitigation Bank Starting a mitigation bank involves several key steps, beginning with land selection. Identifying a suitable site for a wetland mitigation bank can be challenging. Key considerations include: A mix of uplands and wetlands Restoration potential, which may involve: Invasive species removal Pine thinning Restoring hydrology Fire suppression Once a suitable site is identified, the next step is to prepare an application for submission to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and/or State Agency. This application should include: A detailed mitigation
