The Cascade Agenda focuses on a future for this region that is both environmentally sound and economically strong.  To get there, we need new growth to occur with limited impacts to our natural areas.  One way that new development protects our environment is through environmental mitigation.  Environmental mitigation refers to a series of actions a developer must take to avoid and minimize damage to sensitive natural areas, and then offset any unavoidable impacts with restoration or enhancement of other areas.  These actions are required by a number of environmental laws and must occur before the developer may begin construction.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that these projects currently succeed less than 50% of the time (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/94029.pdf page 6.) This means that half of the development activity being permitted in sensitive areas is resulting in direct losses to the quality of our environment.

There are ways to improve this rate of success.  CLC is partnering with other organizations to explore new approaches and tools for improving the effectiveness of environmental mitigation.  CLC is encouraging a concept called watershed-based mitigation.  This is an approach that uses science about our lands and waters to improve how the environmental impacts are offset and can help inform the process. 

Watershed Based Mitigation: A Holistic Approach

Frequently Asked Questions