WETLAND IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

MORGAN COUNTY, Colo., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Westervelt Ecological Services (WES) has received federal approval to improve water quality as well as plant and animal habitat by restoring wetlands on 109 acres in Morgan County, near the banks of the South Platte River just outside the City of Fort Morgan. The project, known as the Front Range Mitigation Bank (FRMB), has been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide wetland credits in the Middle-South Platte-Sterling (10190012), Pawnee (10190014), Middle-South Platte-Cherry Creek (10190012), Sidney Draw (10190017), Crow (10190009), Upper Lodgepole (10190016), and Bijou (10190011) watersheds for unavoidable impacts to waters of the United States which result from activities authorized under section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The first issue of credits is available now.

FRMB is a multi-benefit project that will restore the environmental functions of wetland flood control, sediment control, groundwater recharge, and water quality. Additional improvements to wildlife habitat will provide enhanced bird viewing opportunities and improved aesthetics in the area. "We are very excited about the wildlife and wetland conservation this Bank site will provide—the restored wetland systems and warm water slough that traverses the site is vital to diverse wildlife in the area." says WES Rocky Mountain Region Director, Tyler Bell.

Environmental regulatory agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Federal Highway Administration must approve a mitigation bank in the State of Colorado before credits can be sold. Mitigation banks provide enhanced environmental benefits over smaller, piece-meal mitigation and retain inherent biological, financial and legal assurances to ensure ecological project success. Economic advantages recognized by public and private sector developers include economies of scale, reduced permitting time and costs, and severance of liability.

To learn more about the site and the credits available, contact Will Duggins at (816) 224-9497 or email [email protected].

About Westervelt Ecological Services: Providing conservation on a landscape scale is the mission of Westervelt Ecological Services. A division of The Westervelt Company, a 137 year-old land stewardship company based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Westervelt Ecological Services offers mitigation banking solutions for developers and businesses who need to mitigate impacts to wetlands or species across the country. To learn more visit www.wesmitigation.com.

Contact: Tyler Bell (337) 591-6110 or
[email protected] (Bank Manager)

Will Duggins (816) 224-9497 or
[email protected] (Credit Sales)

SOURCE Westervelt Ecological Services