USDA Allocates Millions For Agricultural Wetland Mitigation Banks
Federal grant funding will support projects that create environmental credits for farmers who impact protected lands.
Agricultural producers seeking to offset unavoidable environmental impacts on their land will benefit from a $3 million investment focused on wetland restoration.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is making the funding available through the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program. The initiative supports the creation, restoration and enhancement of designated wetlands. These sites generate credits that farmers and ranchers can purchase to maintain regulatory compliance when developing land elsewhere.
City and county governments, tribal entities and qualified conservation organizations are eligible to apply for funding. Federal officials will prioritize projects in states with high concentrations of agricultural wetlands and conservation requests, including Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Entities awarded grants will collaborate with conservation experts to develop mitigation banking instruments and establish long-term operational guidelines for each site.
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Jesse Jacobs is Assistant Editor of EPOnline.com.
