Alaska: "EPA, Corps Agree To New Wetland Mitigation Guidelines"

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers have beefed up their guidelines for wetlands mitigation in Alaska, elaborating on ways a developer can compensate for disturbing bogs, ponds and streams.

The idea of mitigation is that developers are permitted to fill a wetland if they restore or protect a similar property nearby. But mitigation is challenging in Alaska, where much of the state is considered a wetland and opportunities to restore private land in the area may be scarce.

Energy & Environment News reviewed wetlands permits in Alaska going back to 2015 and found the Corps had only required mitigation 26 percent of the time."

Liz Ruskin reports for Alaska Public Media June 18, 2018.