Environmental Science 1102 Lab 1: Mitigation Banking
What Texas agencies or environmental groups are involved in the protection of wetlands? Which agencies are involved specifically in the Katy Prairie Conservancy?
- The Corps' Galveston District Office protect wetlands in the coastal area of Texas - the Texas Land Conservancy will claim ownership of the Katy Prairie after development is done, holding an easement - the Environmental Protection Agency is an executive agency overseeing environmental protection matters
How was the restoration conducted? (types of machinery, materials and plants used)
- excavators are used to move the stream as it once was in nature - a hydraulic excavator is used to pick up larger debris for the pathway of the streams - fiber matting is used to avoid erosion along the banks - live stakes are used to encourage vegetation - satellite is used for the excavators
What laws or rules regulate wetlands in Texas? How does Texas State and local regulations mesh with federal regulations?
- in Texas, it is illegal to drain or fill wetlands without a permit - you must obtain a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - by federal law, mitigation banking is allowed on federal land
Why is mitigation banking important?
- to offset the impact of construction on federal lands - to compensate for any future wetlands loss
Describe the size and location of the wetlands, as well as the water reservoirs affected.
- used to be 750,000 acres wide - to the west of Houston
mitigation banking (in relation to wetlands)
-wetlands that have been restored, established, enhanced, or preserved for the purpose of providing compensation for unavoidable impacts to wetland regulations -may be created when a government agency, corporation, nonprofit organization, or other entity undertakes these activities under a formal agreement with a regulatory agency
Katy Prairie Conservancy
An organization to conserve the coastal prairie lost overtime by activities resulting in wetlands loss and degradation.
If this were to be used as a mitigation banking, what could it mitigate assuming a 3-to-1 ratio?
As a mitigation bank, any land developer must bank (pay the Conservancy) 3 acres of land for the Prairie's own development for 1 acre of land for land development (ie. shopping malls, home-building, etc.).
Wetlands
a lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife.
Mitigation banking (the way it works)
current policy in which wetlands must have zero "net loss," which means some wetlands can be destroyed as long as equal amount is created or restored
What will happen to the Katy Prairie once the project is completed?
ownership will be given to a third party, the Texas Land Conservancy, holding an easement that will continue the long-term management of the Prairie
Bank site
physical location of the restored wetlands
Bank instrument
the formal agreement between the bank owners and regulators establishing liability, performance standards, management and monitoring requirements, and the terms of the bank credit approval.
Service area
the geographic area in which permitted impacts can be compensated for at least a given bank.
Interagency Review Team (IRT)
the interagency team that provides regulatory review, approval, and oversight of the bank.
Bank credits
the quantification of restored or created wetlands for the use of future land development projects. a "no net loss" of all wetlands.
How long will it take for the Katy Prairie Conservancy restored wetlands area to meet the definition of a functional wetland based on soil, plant, and hydrology criteria? If not, describe this wetlands in terms of current and eventual soil, plants, and hydrology?
to meet the criteria of being a wetland, the Katy Prairie Conservancy has: - rebuilt streams by the profile, dimension, and pattern of streams in nature - planted grass such as rye via live stakes in order to encourage natural vegetation and avoid erosion - the wetlands will prevent flooding by its floodplain
