Projects Eligible to Use the Flint River Mitigation Bank

Projects that require a permit from the USACE under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act are eligible to mitigate for impacts through the purchase of mitigation credits from a bank such as the FRMB. The following projects are typically eligible:

• A project with no feasible on-site mitigation opportunities and off-site mitigation has been authorized by the USACE.
• A project with minor impacts, which may have limited on-site mitigation opportunities and where it can be clearly demonstrated that off-site mitigation would be more environmentally beneficial.
• A project with minor impacts, which, when considered cumulatively with similar nearby projects, would result in a substantial impact (non-notification Nationwide Permits, Regional Permits, etc.).
• Linear projects, such as highways, which will generally result in numerous minor impacts that combine to form a significant cumulative impact.

Large projects with substantial adverse impacts, such as those that require Individual Permits, are reviewed by the USACE as well as by other regulatory agencies. The US Environmental Protection Agency, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service will typically review permits for projects with substantial impacts. The purchase of credits from a mitigation bank would only be considered acceptable for a project with substantial impacts if it is the most environmentally beneficial option. The FRMB is owned by Mr. Brent Scarbrough and was designed by Ecological Solutions, Inc.