OLYMPIA, WA, Jan. 8, 2008 -- Bolstered by a set of recommendations from a diverse and independent advisory group, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is expanding efforts to improve environmental mitigation in Washington.
Until recently, practices designed to offset or "mitigate" the damaging environmental effects that development can have on wetlands and other aquatic resources have been fraught with problems.
Poor site selection, bad design and lack of compliance has meant most mitigation projects have fallen short of replacing the function and value of wetlands, estuaries, streams, shorelines and other aquatic habitat damaged by road building and commercial and residential expansion.
"We have been working diligently to reverse the trend," said Ecology Shorelands & Environmental Assistance Program Manager Gordon White. "We check on 100 percent of wetland mitigation projects within two years of issuing a permit. Ecology, in close collaboration with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the Army Corps of Engineers also developed guidance that encourages flexible solutions to restore or replace wetlands."
White said wetlands and other key habitat areas are essential for maintaining and restoring Washington waters. They also help keep the state economy vibrant by filtering drinking water, holding flood waters, recharging groundwater, and providing fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation.
He said it generally costs less to maintain existing wetlands than to invest in human-engineered solutions to purify water and provide flood protection.
According to a recent independent study, freshwater wetlands in the Puget Sound region alone could be worth more than $10 billion to Washington's economy.
"Improving mitigation is critical both for environmental protection and a strong economy," said Josh Baldi, Ecology Special Assistant to the Director. "Unfortunately, when we miss opportunities to make mitigation successful, we risk eroding the quantity and quality of our wetlands and other aquatic resources -- and we could lose them altogether."
Ecology, in close collaboration with its federal and state regulatory partners, is pushing to increase mitigation from 50 to 100 percent environmental success. Ecology Director Jay Manning has elevated improving state mitigation practices to one of Ecology's top priorities -- on par with tackling climate change, protecting Puget Sound, managing state waters, and reducing toxic threats.
Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposed 2009-11 budget for state government would advance an innovative in-lieu-fee program recommended by the forum. The governor proposes $5 million to implement the program in the Puget Sound basin, providing an alternative to traditional forms of mitigation such as replacing or rebuilding a wetland at a construction site, and wetland mitigation banks.
Ecology has launched a new "Mitigation that Works" Web site that includes information and guidance about environmental mitigation and permitting. The site also will house the products that come out of the Mitigation that Works Forum's final report.
>> Visit the 'Mitigation that Works' website
On Dec. 31, 2008, the Mitigation that Works Forum -- made up of 23 members representing state and federal agencies, local governments, ports, business, environmental, and land use and conservation interests -- released their final recommendations and associated practical actions to improve all aspects of mitigation.
Entitled "Making Mitigation Work," the report makes a number of recommendations for local, state, federal and tribal governments:
• Reinforce the importance of preventing and minimizing environmental impacts to valuable, difficult-to-replace habitats.
• Establish a watershed-based approach to mitigation.
• Create and implement a wide variety of compensatory mitigation tools.
• Build innovative approaches for reviewing development projects and associated mitigation plans.
• Support successful mitigation by developing standard site-performance tracking measures and setting aside sufficient resources to fund monitoring and adaptive management programs for federal, state, local and tribal governments.
>> Download a copy of the 'Making Mitigation Work' report and read overview of Forum recommendations
>> More information about the 'Mitigation That Works' Forum
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