Wetland Mitigation & Restoration

When unavoidable wetland impacts occur directly, secondarily, or cumulative, compensatory mitigation is required to offset the functional loss. For the state, the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) (Chapter 62-345, F.A.C.) is used to calculate the functional loss and the required mitigation (through mitigation bank credits or onsite wetland restoration). Currently, federal wetland impact compensation is calculated using the Wetland Rapid Assessment Procedure (WRAP). These functional assessment services ensure regulatory clarity and give project teams the environmental foresight needed for planning and compliance.

• Land Developers and Builders: Residential, commercial, and industrial developers who fill or dredge wetlands for construction projects.
• Infrastructure and Transportation Agencies: Entities building or repairing roads, bridges, airports, dams, and dikes.
• Energy and Utility Companies: Organizations installing pipelines, power lines, or working on energy-related infrastructure.
• Agricultural Producers: Farmers seeking to remain compliant with “Swampbuster” provisions of the Food Security Act (FSA) while draining, dredging, or filling wetlands for crop production.
• Mining and Resource Extraction Firms: Companies whose operations alter natural drainage, vegetation, or soil in wetland areas.
• Property Owners/Private Landowners: Individuals or entities, including single-family homeowners, who need to modify wetlands for activities like building driveways or ponds.

• UMAM Analysis: Scoring the “Current Condition” and “With Impact” scenarios (0-10 scale) for Location, Water Environment, and Community Structure.
• WRAP Assessment: Evaluate the functional value of wetlands before and after impacts, providing a standardized, science-based method to quantify functional loss.
• Mitigation Planning: Designing a mitigation plan for onsite planting/restoration or coordinating credit purchase from a mitigation bank.
• Monitoring: Monitoring of restoration sites to document and establish permit compliance (e.g., tree survival, exotic removal).

Mitigation is often the most expensive line item in environmental permitting. Expert UMAM or WRAP scoring can significantly reduce the number of credits required, saving tens of thousands of dollars. Ignoring this requirement can lead to costly delays, enforcement actions, or permanent impacts on project viability.

• UMAM Scoresheets: Part I and Part II forms.
• Mitigation Plan: Planting schedules and grading plans.
• Monitoring Reports: Annual submissions to the agency.