Guidelines for Wetlands Mitigation in Ohio Released by USACE

On July 20, after more than three years of development, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released guidance for the establishment of mitigation banks in Ohio.  The guidance was developed by the Interagency Review Team (IRT) which includes staff from the following agencies: USACE; United States EPA; Ohio EPA; Ohio Department of Natural Resources; United States Fish & Wildlife Service; and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. While this document will provide some increased predictability in the review process, it will also have a significant economic impact on the cost of development of mitigation banks in Ohio. Ohio Wetlands Foundation (OWF) anticipates the additional criteria included in this document will likely result in an increased cost of mitigation credits by 25 percent or more. OWF believes that the additional requirements and associated costs place an unreasonable burden on permit applicants in Ohio (adjacent states do not have such stringent requirements for the development of mitigation banks). Click here to read the guideline in its entirety.

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