Developing Long-Term Management Plans for Mitigation Sites

The April 10, 2008 Final Rule: Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources provides joint regulations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address compensatory mitigation requirements for impacts authorized under Clean Water Act §404 permits. The regulations also provide guidance for the development and operation of mitigation banks and in-lieu fee (ILF) mitigation programs. An essential part of any mitigation plan, whether it is for a mitigation bank, an ILF program, or to fulfill permittee-responsible mitigation, is long-term management.