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Department of Ecology News Release - June 29, 2006
06-113
OLYMPIA - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) will present information and answer questions about wetland mitigation banking at a free, public workshop next month in Mount Vernon.
Under a pilot program authorized by the Legislature in 2004, several privately-owned wetland banking projects are proposed or under way around the state. Two such projects are under consideration in Skagit County.
The workshop is scheduled for July 12, from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Skagit Station Community Room at 105 E. Kincaid in Mount Vernon. Representatives from Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will make a brief presentation, followed by an opportunity for people to ask questions and voice concerns.
A wetland bank is a pre-existing wetland restoration project, specially licensed by the state Department of Ecology, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the county where the project is located. Real estate developments that must offset wetland losses have the option of purchasing acreage credits at a bank in the same watershed - subject to regulatory approval - rather than construct their own mitigation projects. The banking initiative does not change environmental review standards that protect against the loss of wetlands.
Ecology's wetland banking pilot program enables investors to establish privately owned banks to serve portions of particular watersheds. The banks typically will restore large areas and thus create better-integrated systems for habitat and water quality than smaller, scattered projects. The banks must provide ongoing maintenance and monitoring for 10 years or more to ensure their wetland restoration projects succeed. After that, bank must permanently preserve its site through a conservation easement.
This program also provides more flexibility to landowners and developers in meeting their mitigation obligations. Wetland banking is not entirely new to Washington: some local governments and state agencies have established internal wetland banks for their own projects.
For more information about Ecology's wetland banking pilot program please visit: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wetmitig.
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Contact: Larry Altose, Ecology public information, 425-649-7009
Christina Merten, Ecology wetland banking specialist, 425-649-7007
Gail Terzi, Corps of Engineers Environmental Analyst, 206-764-6903
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
