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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 being reviewed by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency overseeing 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, portions of
Sears Island might be 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.
As for Sears Island, the Joint Use
Planning Committee, is simply reviewing possible on-island options for wetlands
mitigation, nothing will be evaluated or reccomended.
Read comments submitted
to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the proposed bank by:
Maine
Chapter Sierra Club
Penobscot Bay Alliance
Isleboro
Island Trust
Attached are comments regarding the proposed
bank by the Chapter, Sierra Club Wetland Project, the Penobscot Bay Alliance
and the Isleboro Islands 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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