Bank Mitigation

What is a mitigation bank?

A restoration (PERC) project done for profit, to sell credits as compensatory mitigation

Compensatory Mitigation

Act of Preserving, Enhancing, Restoring and/or Creating (PERC) wetlands to compensate for unavoidable losses elsewhere On-site vs. off-site Mitigation ratios 7.5 to 1 wet meadow 3.5 to 1 forested 1.5 to 1 marsh 1 to 1 open water

Advantages of mitigation banking

Consolidates efforts, increases oversight, likelihood of success Wetland restoration happens in advance of impacts Larger areas, farther from impacts may increase function, permanent easement Market-driven (credits open market)

Mitigation Banks

Early to mid-1990s, short-comings of compensatory mitigation programs were apparent Mitigation Bank idea developed in 1980s, refined and codified in 1995 Consolidates efforts into larger restoration (PERC) projects, increases likelihood of success

Compensatory Mitigation Requirements

Establishment of appropriate hydrology Percent cover by appropriate vegetation Survival rate of planted vegetation Evidence of use by wildlife Absence of exotic vegetation Others Time scale/ documentation/ monitoring requirements differ by project

Four Components of bank mitigation

Four components: Site: the physical area to be PERC'ed Instrument (permit): formal agreement between owners and regulators establishing terms of credit approval Interagency Review Team (IRT): team that provides review, oversight, and approval of credits Service area: geographic area in which permitted impacts can be compensated for at a given bank (determined by IRT)

Step 8:

Remove water control structures Fill ditches Install permanent weir to maintain hydrology System ultimately should be self-sustaining

Step 4:

contour land to target elevation for appropriate hydrology (created marsh)

Step 3:

control hydrology to minimize disturbance during restoration activity Example: draining system

Step 2:

determine appropriate action (PERC) Natural areas preserved, enhanced Farm fields restored, marsh created Divided into phases for credit release

Step 1:

determine hydrology (what type of wetland?) Ditches altered Compare to natural

Step 5:

introduce appropriate vegetation Species used depends on the type of wetland desired, region and climate, as well as hydrology

Step 6:

maintenance to allow system to become established Hydrology Exotic species

Step 7:

monitoring for success Hydrologic monitoring Vegetative monitoring Biota utilization