Dunn County engineers report delays as Army Corps signals preference for wetland mitigation credits

County engineers told the Dunn County Commission that a shift in Army Corps of Engineers permitting practice — favoring the purchase of wetland mitigation credits over on-site mitigation — is affecting schedules and budgets for several county road projects.

Engineers presented project-by-project updates, saying bids and pre-construction work are proceeding on several corridors but that cultural-resource and wetland permitting remain schedule risks. They said Corps staff have “been pushing” wetland mitigation banks as the preferred mitigation route and have returned plans asking for purchased credits instead of allowing on-site mitigation.

The engineers and commissioners discussed the cost implications. One county staff member said the quoted price for mitigation credits is “about $85,000 an acre.” The county is working with Ducks Unlimited and private mitigation banks to secure credits where on-site mitigation is no longer accepted by the Corps. Staff said on-site mitigation remains an option in some cases, but on-site work carries monitoring obligations and multi-year maintenance costs that can also be costly.

Projects discussed included the 100th Avenue NW project (Bronco Brothers awarded the bid), Twelfth Street and Sixteenth Street grading and cultural surveys, the 80 Sixth and Ninth and 90 Eighth Avenue grading efforts, and several 2025–2026 projects that are in survey or design phases. Engineers said Bronco Brothers expects to start quickly on the 100th Avenue NW work as soon as fencing is removed and weather allows.

Engineers identified the Corps’ evolving position and the mitigation-credit requirement as primary reasons some projects are being delayed or re-priced. They said mitigation-bank credits can be purchased regionally but that counties sometimes prefer local mitigation; staff said they will “try to keep mitigation local” where possible but availability and Corps direction may prevent that.

Commissioners asked for more detail about where purchased credits would be located and how the credit mechanism works; staff said Ducks Unlimited and private landowners can create mitigation banks but that the credit markets and precise locations vary. Staff advised they will bring more complete mitigation cost and location information back to the commission at a future meeting.

Why it matters: the Corps’ preference for purchased credits can materially change project budgets and timelines, and the county said it will include mitigation-credit costs in future project estimates and bids. The commission did not take a formal vote tied solely to mitigation policy at the meeting; engineers said they would return with more details and cost estimates for specific projects.

Ending: County staff asked commissioners to expect further briefings and potential budget adjustments as mitigation-credit needs and Corps responses become clearer.