State and federal laws prohibit the loss of wetlands due to development. In September 2009, Ecology adopted a rule establishing criteria and a certification process for wetland mitigation banks across the state. The Vancouver wetland is the first to be certified under the new rule.

It is also the second to be certified under a new federal rule established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency.

Wetlands are essential for protecting Washington waters. They also support and protect communities and businesses by filtering drinking water, holding flood waters, recharging underground water tables, providing fish and wildlife habitat and supporting wildlife-related recreation.

The availability of wetland credits doesn’t eliminate or change local, state and federal regulations requiring developers to avoid and minimize wetland damage. Wetland mitigation banks allow developers to provide compensation before harming a wetland at another site. Developers can purchase “credits” from the banks – subject to regulatory approval – to offset wetland losses that cannot be avoided.

Lauren Driscoll, who oversees Ecology’s wetland banking program, said wetland banks are a less expensive alternative than investing in solely human-engineered solutions to purify water and provide flood protection and critical habitat.

Ecology’s action helps move the 154-acre Columbia River Wetland Bank a step closer toward being built and offering mitigation credits for projects impacting wetlands in the lower Columbia River basin in Washington. The area includes portions of Clark and Cowlitz counties as well as a small area in Skamania County.

“State Sen. Joseph Zarelli and Rep. Deb Wallace were instrumental in getting this improved form of mitigation off the ground in Clark County,” said Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant. “They brought together Ecology, business and environmental leaders to improve environmental results and make faster permit decisions. The certification of the Columbia River Wetland Mitigation Bank is just one result of their efforts.”

Ecology’s Driscoll said that as a pre-existing wetland restoration project, “the Columbia River bank is designed to benefit our environment and economy by increasing and protecting wetland functions in its service area. Mitigation banks are a key strategy for engaging the private sector and power of the marketplace to sustain Washington’s remaining wetlands.”

Once the Columbia River Wetland Mitigation Bank begins operations, it will offer credits that represent the increase in wetland functions at the Vancouver bank site.

Clark County Mitigation Partners, the private company seeking to build and operate the bank, still needs to obtain several local permits and fulfill additional requirements outlined in their agreement with the regulatory agencies before they have approval to sell credits.

Before it can begin operations, the bank will be permanently protected through a conservation easement recorded on the property by the Port of Vancouver and held by Ducks Unlimited. The firm would then create new wetlands and enhance existing wetland and upland habitat areas at the site.

The site is expected to generate nearly 54 credits. Each credit represents 2.9 acres of work on the ground that developers can use to offset impacts to wetlands in the mitigation bank’s service area.

The proposed Columbia River Wetland Mitigation Bank is on Port of Vancouver property located at 3210 N.W. Lower River Road, Vancouver. The port set aside the parcel to be used as a mitigation bank and protected in perpetuity. The bank would be regulated by an interagency review team made up of representatives from Ecology, Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, city of Vancouver and Clark County.

Contact:
Curt Hart, 360-407-6990, cell 360-480-7908, char461@ecy.wa.gov