WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 3, 2015 – The White House released today a Presidential Memorandum that mandates federal agencies to give preference to advance compensation mechanisms that are likely to achieve environmental performance standards prior to any adverse impacts. In other words, mitigation and conservation banks should be the first choice.

The directive instructs the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to apply the same “No net loss” goal of the Clean Water Act‘s 404 program to natural resources other than streams and wetlands. That goal will now be applied to all natural resources that are “important, scarce or sensitive”, including species habitats, water quality not covered in section 404, and other impacts to environmental resources.

Trout Headwaters welcomes this directive and believes the new guidance will not only ensure high standards and best practices across all federal agencies and departments entrusted with environmental regulatory authority, but will also enable increased private investment in restoration and conservation, providing a powerful tool to meet today’s growing environmental
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