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Maine Department of
Transportation
Federal Umbrella
Mitigation Banking
The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT)
has proposed creating an Umbrella Wetland Mitigation Bank on Sears Island.
This proposal is being reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
agency that oversees federal wetland laws. If approved by the Corps, MDOT
would be able to fill wetlands far more easily than the Clean Water Act
anticipated. Of particular concern, the protected part of Sears Island is
proposed to the Corps as "credits" to mitigate wetland alteration or
destruction elsewhere by MDOT projects. All proposals to the Corps must
adhere to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and are open for public comment
and involvement.
The MDOT mitigation proposal fails
to (1) provide specific required information, (2) demonstrate MDOT
qualifications as a bank sponsor and (3) substantiate the claim that the bank
would provide appropriate compensatory mitigation. The proposal should
therefore be rejected.
Read the Public Notice
Read comments submitted
to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the proposed bank by:
Maine
Chapter Sierra Club
Penobscot Bay Alliance
Isleboro
Island Trust
For more information about
Sears Island, to take part in efforts to protect the island or for a natural
history tour, call the Sierra Club 761-5616 and visit our calendar of events at
http://www.maine.sierraclub.org/calendar.htm. To learn more about this
issue visit the
Maine Department of Conservation's website on the
Sears Island Facilitation Services Planning Initiative.
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