News Release
| Release Number: | 08-116 |
| Dated: | 7/25/2008 |
| Contact: | Scott Clemans, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Oregon Department of State Lands are seeking comments on a proposal to establish a wetland mitigation bank. The public notice regarding this proposal was issued during the week of July 13, 2008.
Public Notice NWP-2008-328 describes a proposal by Jerald Humbert to establish a 54-acre wetland mitigation bank along Willanch Lane in North Bend, Ore.
The public notice which provides more information about the proposal is available at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/public.asp and the prospectus which outlines the plan for the bank is available at http://www.statelandsonline.com/pdfs/APP0041104.pdf. Comments must be received by Aug. 18.
Wetland mitigation banks are large sites on which landowners deliberately create wetlands as mitigation for the impacts of future development. Developers whose projects will impact wetlands can buy “credits” from the bank equal to the acreage they’re impacting rather than independently create smaller, scattered restoration projects.
Consolidating mitigation projects in wetlands mitigation banks is a way to encourage greater diversity of habitat and wetland functions and create more sustainable ecological systems.
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers protects wetlands under authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.