2012 FDOT Mitigation Plan - Southwest Florida Water Management ...

E. Brief e xplanation of why a m itigation ba nk wa s/was not c hosen, in whole or in part, including a
discussion of c ost: At the time of mitigation selection for the roadway projects, there were no existing or
proposed mitigation banks in the Upper Coastal or Hillsborough River Basins. Subsequently a private mitigation
bank located in the Upper Coastal was added to the mitigation program (SW 91 – Upper Coastal Mitigation
Bank). However the substantial habitat improvements completed at the Preserve have resulted in the availability
of 179 federal and state mitigation credits for the 2.973 acres, with fewer than 20 credits debited through 2010.
With the $3.1 million in expenditures for habitat improvements and perpetual maintenance and land
management activities, the Preserve currently provides more cost-effective ($17,200/credit) than credit prices
offered by private mitigation banks in the Upper Coastal and Hillsborough basins. Since FDOT reimbursement
for mitigation costs are the same rate per impact acre, cost savings associated with mitigation conducted at
Conner Preserve are allocated to fund the more expensive mitigation activities conducted in urban basins.
F. Brief explanation of why a SWIM pr oject wa s/was not c hosen a s m itigation, in whole or in pa rt,
including a discussion of cost, if the anticipated impacts are located within a SWIM water body: At the
time of selection, there were no SWIM sponsored projects proposed in the Upper Coastal or Hillsborough Basins
that were appropriate for mitigation credit.
MITIGATION PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Entity responsible for construction: SWFWMD- Land Resources and Operations Departments.
Contact Name: Land Management Specialist Phone Number: (352) 796-7211
Entity responsible for monitoring and maintenance: SWFWMD LAND Resources is responsible for maintenance
& management. A private contractor selected by the WMD conducted the monitoring through 2009, followed by
annual monitoring conducted by WMD staff.
Timeframe for implementation: Commence: Acquisition – end of 2003, Restoration Design – 2004, Restoration
Activities, 2005-2015, maintenance & monitoring to achieve success criteria for the entire site 2005-2015,
followed by perpetual land management activities by the WMD.
Complete: Maintenance & monitoring complete by 2015 or until success criteria is met for all the sites, followed
by perpetual maintenance & management activities.
Project cost:
$3,037,200 (total)
$636,000 Initial Habitat Restoration & Maintenance Activities (2005- 2010)
$2,401,200 Perpetual Land Maintenance & Management Costs (post-2010)
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