The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced this month it is investing up to $5 million in the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP). This grant program supports the development of mitigation banks for use by agricultural producers seeking to maintain eligibility for USDA programs. Funds are available to Tribes, state and local government entities, nonprofits and other organizations.
Since 2016, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded 25 projects in 13 states. The 2018 Farm Bill provided an opportunity for funding for this program through fiscal year 2023. NRCS is prioritizing funds in states with large amounts of wetlands as well as large amounts of producers with wetland determination requests, including Georgia.
Awardees are equipped with the resources to leverage WMBP funding for essential activities, such as mitigation bank site identification, development of a mitigation banking instrument, site restoration, land surveys, permitting and title searches, and market research, synergizing effectively with the best agency banking platforms.
NRCS is accepting proposals from eligible entities through Grants.gov by Oct. 10, 2022.
To learn more about how WMBP is making a difference in Georgia, click here.