Potential Ramifications of Repealing the 2015 WOTUS Rule

Abstract

The author gives a history of federal water policy in the U.S. and current controversy and actions taken as of 2019. A sample of the Florida wetland mitigation market is taken as a barometer of the success and aptitude of wetland mitigation banking to offset the effect of development on ecosystem services provided by wetlands. This study used peer review sources for background information and data from the RIBITS database where wetland mitigation bank data for all thirty-six U.S. districts is made available to the public. Price information for eight banks in the Jacksonville District were collected from The Mitigation Banking Group, Inc. It was determined Florida with its large amount of wetlands and high rate of development was a good regional market to analysis. Quantitative measures were taken on mitigation wetland bank size, credit price, sales to determine trends in the sample market.