EEP among state programs studied for success in wetlands mitigation
Along with the national attention received for its innovation and achievements, EEP participated in March along with seven other states in a federal government survey of wetland mitigation initiatives.
The 2005 Federal Highway Administration Domestic Scan of Successful Wetland Mitigation Programs will document success stories in the state initiatives, studying particularly how enhanced interagency collaborations contribute to innovative stewardship initiatives. The Scan Tour Team included representatives from FHWA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Other states participating included Texas, Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Minnesota. N.C. State University’s Center for Transportation and the Environment is compiling tour results into a final report, and will assist with the development and implementation of a technology transfer plan to help share results of the tour with other state agencies and interested stakeholders.h
Site visits help build program transparency
EEP staff led some special colleagues on a tour of restoration projects in four counties June 13 and 14 in an effort designed to share information on the day-to-day work performed by the program.
EEP hosted its advisory committee, the Program Assessment and Consistency Group (PACG), along with PACG Technical Committee members on the tour of projects in various stages of mitigation, from scoping and design to post-construction monitoring and maintenance. The site visits were intended to provide the group with insight into EEP’s work and allow members to gain perspective into the factors that make EEP’s mission both challenging and fulfilling. These site tours increase EEP’s transparency and help convey the unique challenges that EEP faces in protecting, enhancing, and restoring North Carolina’s wetlands and waterways,” said EEP Director Bill Gilmore.
An advisory panel comprised of federal and state regulatory agencies which reviews policy decisions made by EEP management, the PACG addresses ongoing issues affecting EEP’s operations, evaluates program accomplishments and shortfalls, and helps to manage interagency process improvements.
Representative agencies include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and divisions within the NCDENR, including Water Quality, Coastal Management, and Water Resources.
Sites visited included Methodist College in Cumberland County; Jumping Run Creek Stream and Wetland Restoration in Harnett County; Suck Creek Stream Restoration Project in Moore County; and Naked Creek, Purlear Creek, and Little Bugaboo Creek in Wilkes County.
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