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Board approves purchase of wetland mitigation credits for County Road 157 project; revised agreement rises to $328,566.64
Summary
Stearns County authorized a revised wetland credit reservation for mitigation tied to the County Road 157 reconstruction project (CRP 703-150-721). The county will reserve 3.56 acres of credits; the updated purchase price is $328,566.64 and will be charged to local-option sales tax funding for the project.
County Engineer Jody Tyke told the board the County Road 157 reconstruction project between Freeport and Albany requires wetland mitigation credits and that recent federal and state permitting interpretations increased the needed acreage and purchase cost.
Tyke said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires mitigation even where the county is excavating in wetland to create stormwater-treatment facilities, a position that differs from Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) guidance in some cases. Because of the Corps’ permitting requirements and the scope of impacts, the county had to increase its reservation from the prior agreement and procure an additional 1.88 acres of mitigation. Tyke said the revised total purchase price for 3.56 acres of wetland credits is $328,566.64 and that the payment will come from local-option sales tax revenues tied to the road project.
Commissioners raised concerns about rising mitigation prices and the broader cost impacts of mitigation ratios (the county cited a 2:1 replacement ratio under current state guidance). Tyke said state and federal wetland mitigation requirements are under discussion at the legislative and federal advocacy levels and that staff will continue to seek policy changes.
Following a motion, the board approved the revised wetland credit reservation agreement for 3.56 acres of wetland credits for the County Road 157 reconstruction (CP 703-150-721). Tyke noted the mitigation purchase will not be charged to state-aid funds but to local-option sales tax funds for the project.
Tyke said staff will provide additional updates on environmental items related to the project at the board’s April or May meetings as permitting and mitigation work proceeds.
