39th Environmental Permitting Summer School

In Florida, the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) is used by local, state and federal regulatory agencies to determine the amount of mitigation necessary to offset impacts to wetlands and other surface waters and the number of mitigation credits to be assigned to a mitigation bank. This course will focus on UMAM fundamentals with additional discussion reflecting any recent policy or rule changes under consideration by the FDEP and the panel’s experience with thousands of individual UMAM assessments. Audience participation is encouraged.

Advanced Best Management Practices (BMPs) can provide multiple benefits of runoff and pollutant load reduction, aquifer recharge, flood mitigation, reduced freshwater discharges, temperature moderation, reduced water supply consumption for irrigation, shade and habitat, and life cycle cost savings. Traditional stormwater BMPs have varying effectiveness in reducing runoff and nutrient discharges to Florida’s surface waters. Increases in freshwater runoff and nutrient discharges contribute to the list of Florida’s surface waters that are designated as impaired. Excess nutrients also feed harmful algae blooms. Advanced stormwater treatment BMPs can be used in conjunction with, or in lieu of traditional stormwater treatment practices in a BMP Treatment Train to increase runoff capture and nutrient reduction efficiencies. Some local governments and private developers are already implementing these advanced stormwater treatment BMPs. This session will provide an update to policymakers, developers, designers, and other community stakeholders on applications of both green LID and advanced stormwater treatment BMPs that can help reduce excess nutrients in stormwater and better protect Florida’s surface waters.