Resources
State Wetland Mitigation Banking
As a policy of the Legislature, Florida’s water resources are to be protected and managed at a state and regional level. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is charged with the administration of the water resources at a state level and exercises general supervisory authority over the state’s five water management districts: Northwest Florida (NWFWMD), Suwannee River (SRWMD), St. Johns (SJRWMD), South Florida (SFWMD) and Southwest Florida (SWFWMD). Each water management district is responsible for the administration of water resources at a regional level.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Mitigation Banking
Northwest Florida Water Management District
NWFWMD services Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, Washington, and western Jefferson counties.
Suwannee River Water Management District
SRWMD services all or portions of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, eastern Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Putnam, Suwannee, Taylor and Union.
St. Johns River Water Management District
SJRWMD services all or portions of the following 18 counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia.
Southwest Florida Water Management District
SWFWMD is responsible for all or portions of the following counties: Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter.
South Florida Water Management District
SFWMD serves Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties, as well as portions of Charlotte, Highlands, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola and Polk counties.
Federal Wetland Mitigation Banking
United State Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District Regulatory Office
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory program began 1890 with the responsibility of protecting and maintaining all waters of the United States, which includes all federally delineated wetlands and navigable waters. The Jacksonville District administers the largest regulatory permitting program in the nation.
Click here to view current Public Notices
Regulatory In-Lieu Fee and Banking System
RIBITS (Regulatory In lieu fee and Bank Information Tracking System) was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with support from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Federal Highway Administration, and NOAA Fisheries to provide better information on mitigation and conservation banking and in-lieu fee programs across the country. RIBITS allows users to access information on the types and numbers of mitigation and conservation bank and in-lieu fee program sites, associated documents, mitigation credit availability, service areas, as well information on national and local policies and procedures that affect mitigation and conservation bank and in-lieu fee program development and operation.
Species Banking
In the early 1990s, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service began authorizing conservation banks for a variety of federally-listed species. In May 2003, USFWS issued the first comprehensive Federal guidelines designed to promote conservation banks as a tool for mitigating adverse impacts to species. In Florida, conservation banks have been permitted for the Florida Panther, Florida Scrub-Jay, Florida Sand Skink.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service South Florida Ecological Services Office
United States Fish and Wildlife Service North Florida Ecological Services Office
National Mitigation Banking Industry Associations
Ecological Restoration Business Association
Established in 1998, the Ecological Restoration Business Association (ERBA), formerly known as the National Mitigation Banking Association, provides an industry’s voice in Washington. Its primary focus is on advocacy for smart policies and legislation that support the ecological restoration economy.
National Environmental Banking Association
Established in 2017, the National Environmental Banking Association (NEBA), focuses on the implementation and education of the wetlands mitigation rule and ESA mitigation policy to maximize use of environmental credits
Additional Resources
The Ecosystem Marketplace, a project of Forest Trends, publishes newsletters, breaking news, original feature articles and major reports about market-based approaches to conserving ecosystem services.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for establishing the environmental guidelines that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must use to evaluate the impact of proposed projects when making permit decisions.
