MBG

Navigating the Future: The Impact of Recent Court Decisions on Florida’s 404 Wetland Permitting Program

Update: Florida 404 Assumption Clarification: The recent ruling regarding the Federal FDEP 404 permitting, will affect those that are discharging of dredged or fill material (impacting a wetland) that is connected to another waterbody. It means that the permittees (developers) that need a Federal 404 Permit; will possibly no longer work with FDEP, and may have to go back to USACOE to get permitted for the Federal 404 permit. The intended assumption that took place in December 2020; main purpose was to streamline the

2024 FAEP Symposium and NEPA Workshop: Early Bird Registration Now Open!

Florida Association of Environmental Professionals Symposium and NEPA Essentials Workshop in April 2024 Early Bird Registration is now open for the 2024 Florida Association of Environmental Professionals Annual Symposium (April 25 & 26, 2024) along with the NEPA Essentials Workshop (April 24, 2024) at the B Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Click Here to Register! What to Expect: Expert sessions on Listed Species, Restoration, Due Diligence, PFAS, Geospatial and the Environment, Solid Waste, Cultural Resources, Environmental Compliance, and more. Learn

The Time it Takes for Restoration

The Time it Takes for Restoration In a new research report, the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) and the Ecological Restoration Business Association (ERBA) reveal persistent delays in the approval of a class of wetland and stream restoration projects called ‘mitigation banks.’ These delays hinder the availability of offsets for impacted waterways during the coming surge in infrastructure building.   Read the Report   Mitigation banks are large tracts of degraded lands restored under the Clean Water

Navigating Florida Land Use and Cover with FLUCCS Codes

Navigating Florida Land Use and Cover with FLUCCS Codes   The Florida Land Use and Cover Classification System (FLUCCS) is a comprehensive and standardized system for classifying and mapping the land use and cover of the state of Florida. Developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), FLUCCS provides a framework for understanding the distribution and patterns of land use and cover across the state, and serves as an important tool for managing and conserving Florida’s natural resources.   What is

Mitigation Credits Ratio/Wrap Methodology

Mitigation Credits Ratio/Wrap Methodology How do I assess how many mitigation credits I need with a RATIO methodology from a mitigation bank? Prior to 2005; mitigation banks were permitted with RATIO credits from the 5 Water Management Districts and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and E-WRAP, M-WRAP or WRAP Credits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Therefore, these mitigation banks that were permitted from 1996-2004 are assessed via RATIO; and are considered grandfathered in. Therefore, some of the new environmental consultants

Women in Conservation: Victoria Bruce!

Women in Conservation: Victoria Bruce! Clearview Geographic /clearviewgeographic.com/ — To help celebrate Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight someone for her work in wetland mitigation for Florida: Victoria Bruce! Her company, The Mitigation Banking Group, generates conservation credits for wetland mitigation, helping to environmental efforts to reduce impacts for the past five years. We wanted to know more about Victoria, so we asked her a few questions: How did you

World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day On February 2nd; we celebrated World Wetlands Day! Wetlands provide water purification by acting as a filter removing sediments and other pollutants before the water is slowly released into the aquifer. Wetlands store approximately 44.6 million tonnes of carbon per year globally: they play a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Due to population growth, Wetlands are facing increasing pressure of being impacted. Wetland Conservation and Restoration Efforts, balance economic growth with the preservation of

The 2022 FAMB Mitigation Banking Workshop

The 2022 FAMB Mitigation Banking Workshop November 9th-10th I’ll be in Jacksonville November 9-10 2022 for the Florida Association of Mitigation Bankers for the annual Mitigation Banking Workshop at the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown. This workshop features the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, SFWMD, SJRWMD, SWFWMD and USFWS. Registration Fees (In-person or Virtual):   FAMB Members: $250.00 Non FAMB Members: $600.00 Regulatory/Public Sector Staff: No charge   The Marriott Jacksonville Downtown is offering a special