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Sand Skink Survey Season Change

Sand Skink and Blue-tailed (Bluetail) Mole Skink   This guide for sand skink (Plestiodon [Neoseps] reynoldsi) and blue-tailed mole skink (Plestiodon [Eumeces] egregius lividus) conservation and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation is intended to assist project proponents to determine if or how a proposed action may affect sand skinks or blue-tailed mole skinks.   The sand

The Passing of a Legend: Les Alderman

The Passing of a Legend: Les Alderman   With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Leslie (Les) David Alderman Jr. (Fort Myers, Florida), who passed away on March 16, 2023 at the age of 78. Les was a pioneer for the protection of Panthers in Southwest Florida, and paved a way to restore thousands of acres for panther habitat. He was a sweet soul who always asked about the family! Last year, he discovered that he had a brain tumor; and the

RGL 19-01 Update To Mitigation Banking Credit Release Process

From performance-based to post-construction: How to alter the mitigation banking credit release process   A mitigation bank needs “financial assurances” prior to being approved. These assurances act as collateral, ensuring that the bank will meet performance standards and offsetting the risk of investing money in a bank before credits are sold.  As credits are released and sold, the sponsor gets their financial assurances back in turn. The Corps has recently reiterated language from  RGL 19-01 that a mitigation bank may get

SOS for Florida’s wetlands: Time is running out for government action

SOS for Florida’s wetlands: Time is running out for government action Will Florida’s wetland regulations return the Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting program back to the federal government due to the state’s lack of resources, familiarity, or political will to adequately tackle the more than 5,000 permit applications?   https://www.floridatoday.com/story/opinion/2022/06/11/rescue-wetlands-return-states-permit-program-feds-opinion/7575527001/   “There have been editorials written urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to rescue Florida’s wetlands by returning the Clean Water Act section 404 permitting program to the federal government. They cite the state’s lack of resources, familiarity,

Who Drained The Swamp?

Who Drained the Swamp? Prior to the Section 404 of the CWA; the Federal Government encouraged citizens to drain or destroy wetlands. In 1970, the EPA was established and in 1972, the CWA was passed. The CWA was established to avoid and minimize the impact on designated water bodies and provide compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts. The Clean Water Act was one of the United States’ first and most influential modern environmental laws. Timeline: • 1988: A national policy of ‘no net loss’ of wetland

Happy Earth Day!

Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day! 50 Years ago, US Senator Gaylord Nelson hatched the idea for Earth Day after seeing the ecological catastrophe caused by the Santa Barbara oil spill, which killed more than 3,500 birds off the Californian coast. The first-ever Earth Day was marked by 22 million Americans who marched to protest against the destruction of the environment. This led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passing of a raft of environmental legislation. In

5 Year Anniversary

5 Year Anniversary The Mitigation Banking Group is celebrating 5 years in business supporting wetland mitigation in the state of Florida! We’ve entered the new year representing 6 new mitigation banks, bringing our total to 25. We look forward to fulfilling all of your credit needs. Let’s make 2022 our best year to date! Learn how we can help your project by contacting Victoria at victoria@mitigationbankinginc.com.

Mitigation Banking Companies in Florida

Mitigation Banking Companies in Florida The Mitigation Banking Group (MBG) is one of the most esteemed and respected mitigation banking Companies in Florida. Our mission is to streamline the mitigation process by providing knowledge and expertise to help you with the environmental permitting process with the State and Federal Agencies. Mitigation Banking History in the U.S: 1969 The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was one of the first laws ever written that establishes the broad national framework for protecting our environment. NEPA’s basic

Wetland Mitigation and Species Conservation in Florida

Wetland Mitigation and Species Conservation in Florida Transcript Victoria: So a wetland mitigation bank, as you know, is a protected land. And it’s an average acreage of about 1,000. They range anywhere from 300 acres to 25,000 acres within the state of Florida. And a wetland mitigation bank is not just a great site. It needs to be degraded. We need to bring it back up to its natural state. So if we find a suitable mitigation

What Are Wetlands And How Are They Important?

Wetlands are between aquatic and land-based ecosystems, temporarily or permanently submerged in water. They are the water systems in the landscape, capturing, storing and slowly releasing water. They provide habitats and refuge for up to 40% of biodiversity including vulnerable and endangered flora and fauna. They support many birds, amphibians, fish, and plant species by providing vital breeding, feeding, and nesting grounds. They also form corridors for migrating species. Healthy wetlands provide many benefits and services that far exceed those of terrestrial