The In-Lieu Fee Mitigation Training Webinar Series is designed to help states, tribes, and local governments; conservation organizations; and other interested groups develop or refine rigorous in-lieu-fee programs that yield ecologically effective and sustainable compensatory mitigation. The series of webinars will focus on specific subjects, providing in-depth technical support on the topics of most interest to participants. The topics were chosen with the assistance of an Advisory Committee based on an assessment of the needs of states, tribes, and local governments and conservation organizations seeking approval for or overseeing the approval of statewide or regional in-lieu fee programs.
Functional Assessments
Compensatory mitigation regulations require the amount of required compensatory mitigation be “sufficient to replace lost aquatic resource functions.” (33 CFR 332.3(f)(1)) Per the regulations, where appropriate functional or condition assessment methods are available and practicable, they should be used to determine how much compensatory mitigation is required. For this webinar, we will discuss a variety of approaches for integrating functional assessments in crediting. First, Eric Stein (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project) will provide an overview of using assessment methodologies in crediting. Then, Diane Frisbee (Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, VA TNC) will discuss Virginia’s Unified Stream Methodology and stream crediting and Patricia Johnson (Washington State Department of Ecology) will present Washington's credit/debit tool – Calculating Credits and Debits for Compensatory Mitigation in Wetlands of Western Washington. Finally, Will Harman (Stream Mechanics) will discuss a stream crediting quantification tool.
SPEAKERS
- Eric Stein, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (Presentation)
- Diane Frisbee, The Nature Conservancy (Presentation)
- Will Harman, Stream Mechanics (Presentation)
- Patricia Johnson, Washington State Department of Ecology (Presentation)