Results of IDOT Wetland Mitigation Needs Assessment

Pociask, Geoffrey; Wilm, Brian; Burkwald, Kimberly; Noyes, Audra; Nieset, Julie

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121790 Copy

Description

Title

Results of IDOT Wetland Mitigation Needs Assessment

Author(s)

• Pociask, Geoffrey
• Wilm, Brian
• Burkwald, Kimberly
• Noyes, Audra
• Nieset, Julie

Issue Date

2024-02

Keyword(s)

• Wetlands
• Mitigation
• Environmental Planning

Abstract

The Illinois Department of Transportation is required to provide mitigation for impacts to wetlands and streams under Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act and the Illinois Interagency Wetlands Policy Act of 1989, regulations that protect the function and integrity of wetland and stream water quality and wildlife habitat. These regulations are enforced by the US Army Corps of Engineers at the federal level and by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at the state level. Permits are issued on the condition that compensatory mitigation for those impacts will be provided by the permittee prior to or concurrent with a particular project. As a frequent permittee, IDOT faces various challenges in meeting compliance with wetland and stream regulations. If these challenges are not met on schedule, construction projects may be delayed. The principal challenge is identifying and executing an appropriate approach to obtaining compensatory mitigation credits to offset wetland and stream impacts in advance of projects. Under this principal challenge, there are external factors that involve regulatory agencies and commercial mitigation credit vendors and internal factors that can be addressed through IDOT policy development and implementation. IDOT requested this special project to examine these factors, obtain feedback from other state departments of transportation regarding their compensatory mitigation programs, and to assess overall challenges to providing timely wetland and stream mitigation as well as potential solutions to address these challenges.

Publisher

Illinois Center for Transportation/Illinois Department of Transportation

Has Part

• https://doi.org/10.36501/0197-9191/24-003
• ISSN: 0197-9191

Series/Report Name or Number

FHWA-ICT-24-003

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

IDOT-R27-SP61

Copyright and License Information

No restrictions. This document is available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.

Owning Collections