A requirement of the federal Clean Water Act, passed in 1972, is that developers must recreate wetlands they disturb or destroy by rebuilding them elsewhere in the watershed at up to twice the original acreage. Wetlands serve as endangered species habitat and are nature’s kidneys, holding and purifying runoff and helping reduce flooding.
Mike Enright, conservation biologist with Five Rivers, said about 100 acres have been restored, partly as wetlands. In 2012 through June of this year, residential and commercial developers, working through a permit process with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, will pay or have committed to paying $560,000 to MetroParks. Farming provided $232,000 in revenue from 2009 to 2012. The wetland credits cover nine acres, so it’s expected that more revenue will flow as wetland credits are sold, Enright said.
Developers include Mark Fornes Realty, Liberty Land Co., American Retail Company or Watson’s, Fischer Development Corp., Romanelli and Hughes Building Co., and Enterprise Liquids Pipeline, LLC., for the ATEX Express Pipeline. Those projects are in Montgomery, Butler and Warren counties, Enright said.
The wetland bank project is an improvement on practices by developers rebuilding wetlands in small areas elsewhere because a larger wetland area has a better chance of thriving and will be managed by Five Rivers, Enright said. The bank is not open to the public but there will be an open house June 30 at the site from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. that begins at the main entrance at 8401 Little Richmond Road, Enright said.
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