Feds Want To Change Wetland Restoration Rules

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have proposed to change how developers can mitigate for wetland impact.

Specifically, the agencies published a 38-page proposed regulation called Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources that they claim will improve wetlands protection.

The regulation is designed to improve the success of wetland restoration and replacement projects and expand public participation while streamlining the “wetland banking” system, the government reported.

Under the banking system, developers can trade restoration credits to mitigate for impacts caused to aquatic resources. The proposed regulation would clarify that “approved banks are able to compensate for all permitted impacts” and make the process for establishing a mitigation bank more predicable by establishing timelines for bank proposal reviews.

The regulation also establishes objective standards so that providers of high-quality wetland replacement projects can receive more “bank” credits than those of lower standard projects.

The government is seeking public comment on the proposal through May 30, 2006.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/wetlandsmitigation.

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Feds Want To Change Wetland Restoration Rules

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