May 7, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Today, NOAA is releasing for public comment its draft Mitigation Policy for Trust Resources. The public may review the policy and provide comments through July 12, 2021.
The purpose of the draft Mitigation Policy is to improve conservation of NOAA’s trust resources through more effective mitigation of adverse impacts to those trust resources. In implementing the draft policy NOAA will expand best practices in mitigation across NOAA programs and regions.
The draft policy describes eight principles that will guide NOAA recommendations and decisions about mitigation, with the ultimate goal of achieving environmental benefits consistent with applicable authorities. The eight principles are:
- Apply the mitigation sequence appropriately.
- Employ the best scientific information available.
- Apply a holistic landscape and/or seascape approach.
- Promote mitigation strategies that have a high probability of success.
- Consider climate change and climate resilience when evaluating and developing mitigation measures.
- Implement mitigation that is proportional to impacts to NOAA trust resources and fully offset those impacts.
- Use preservation of intact habitat as compensation appropriately, taking into account the high risk of habitat loss in many rapidly developing coastal and marine landscapes and seascapes.
- Collaborate with partner agencies and stakeholders.
For more information on how to comment view our web story.