Fourth Stakeholder Forum on Federal Wetlands Mitigation

Sponsored by:
Federal Highway Administration
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Natural Resources Conservation Service
NOAA Fisheries
Southwest Florida Water Management District
Stetson University, College of Law
Tampa Bay Estuary Program
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Facilitated by:
Environmental Law Institute

September 20-22, 2004
Tampa, FL

Forum Report

Field Trip to Area Restoration Sites

  • Field Trip to Cockroach Bay Habitat Restoration Project and Schultz Nature Preserve Park Sites - Guided by the Southwest Florida Water Management District

Day One, Monday, September 20

  • Welcome and Overview
    • Royal Gardner, Stetson University College of Law
    • John Meagher, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    • Jessica Wilkinson, Environmental Law Institute (Facilitator)
  • The Regional and Local Perspective
  • Session I - Review of Mitigation Action Plan and Completed Action Items
    Review of Mitigation Action Plan:
    • Review of National Mitigation Action Plan and Regulatory Guidance Letter (RGL 02-2)
      • Kathy Trott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
      • Palmer Hough, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Completed Action Items:
    • Guidance on the Use of the TEA-21 Preference for Mitigation Banking to Fulfill Mitigation Requirements Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act

 

Day Two, Tuesday, September 21

  • Session I (Continued) - Review of Mitigation Action Plan and Completed Action Items
    • On Site/Off Site & In-kind/Out-of-kind Guidance
    • Model Mitigation Checklist & Incorporation of National Research Council's Guidelines into the Clean Water Act Section 404 Program (District Mitigation and Monitoring Guidelines)
    • Demonstration of New §404 Database (ORM)
  • Session II: 2004 Draft Action Items
    • Guidance for Aquatic Resources that are Difficult to Replace
    • Preservation Guidance
      • Jeanette Gallihugh, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
      • Bob Brumbaugh, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
    • Vegetated Buffer Guidance

 

Day Three, Wednesday, September 22

  • Session III: Future Action Items
    • Watershed Context Guidance
      • Bob Brumbaugh, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
      • Palmer Hough, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    • Performance Standards Guidance
  • Wrap-Up/Closing Statements

 

Forum Participant List

 

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