Assessing the Potential of Creating a Stream Mitigation Bank on the Tar River

Abstract

Development projects discharging fill material into any U.S. navigable waters require approval under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and must show that steps were taken to avoid environmental impacts. Unavoidable impacts require compensatory action to mitigate environmental loss. Mitigation banking serves as an outlet to provide compensatory mitigation to offset those environmental impacts on streams and wetlands. The Tar River Land Conservancy, a land trust in North Carolina focused on preserving the natural ecosystem on the Tar River basin, is interested in the prospectus of creating a mitigation bank. Three main objectives of the project include 1) identifying and ranking sites suitable for a mitigation bank, 2) conducting a literature review to determine liabilities/pitfalls of mitigation banking and develop recommendations to overcome the challenges, and 3) identifying elemental factors to creating a sustainable business plan that also contributes to the mission of the land trust. The findings aim to assist the decision-making process for the client to ascertain the potential of pursing the business endeavor.