SWS Webinar - An Integrated Framework for Evaluating Wetland and Stream Compensatory Mitigation

Compensatory mitigation is an integral component of stream and wetland regulatory programs. Sustained improvement in wetland and stream compensatory mitigation requires establishment of ongoing evaluation efforts that provide continued feedback to aquatic resource programs and allow them to adapt, evolve, and improve over time. However, evaluation of compensatory mitigation performance remains challenging. In 2022, USEPA published a technical resource document that is intended to help states and other interested parties develop a long-term, scientifically rigorous approach to evaluating the overall performance of their wetland and stream compensatory mitigation programs
(https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/mitigationevaluationframework-2022.pdf).

The proposed framework was developed based on peer-reviewed literature and agency reports on past mitigation practices and monitoring approaches, interviews with program managers from 15 state programs, and input from a team of nationwide technical experts. This webinar will discuss the framework and the three modules, and present results from pilot applications in two states.