Wolf Administration Seeks Private-Sector Input for Wetland Mitigation Banking Public-Private Partnership

Wolf Administration Seeks Private-Sector Input for Wetland Mitigation
Banking Public-Private Partnership

2/21/2018-KING OF PRUSSIA

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Public-Private Partnership
(P3)
Office has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking private-sector
feedback on wetland mitigation banking, which offsets environmental impacts

from construction or development projects.

The RFI is accessible at www.P3forPA.pa.gov and input is being accepted
through
March 13.

"Part of our mission in managing our transportation system is ensuring that

we're using sustainable solutions," PennDOT Secretary and P3 Board Chair
Leslie
S. Richards said. "Wetland mitigation banks are a tool that we'd like to
use
more and our partners in the private sector will have valuable input in how
we
can pursue this goal."

PennDOT is requesting industry feedback from individuals, firms, teams or
organizations related to development, design, construction, implementation,

maintenance, operation and commercialization of wetland mitigation banking
for
crediting against unavoidable aquatic resource impacts in projects. The
information gathered through the RFI could help develop a statewide or
regional
P3 project addressing innovative and efficient solutions in wetland
mitigation
banking.

This initiative is separate from the department's existing P3 project
announced
in July 2017. That project includes a proposed wetland mitigation bank on a

PennDOT-owned, 140-acre site in Chalfont, Bucks County, which would be
developed so PennDOT and private developers can meet federal environmental
requirements by applying for credits to offset environmental impacts on
projects. A private entity would be selected to design, build, finance and
maintain the site, streamlining the environmental review process as well as

project timelines compared to establishing separate sites for each
applicable
project.

Once established, the department anticipates it would use up to half of the

credits provided through the wetland bank for projects in its King of
Prussia-
and Allentown-based engineering districts. The remaining credits would be
periodically released by the private partner, generating revenue from
private-sector developers needing to offset environmental impacts.

For the project currently underway, the department estimates that it will
advertise a request for qualifications in June, select shortlisted firms to

proceed to request for proposals stage in October, issue a request for
proposals in November and select a preferred proposer in February 2019. In
taking a phased approach to site development, the short-term goal would be
to
have portions of the site ready to provide wetland credits in two to three
years from proposer selection.

Statewide, PennDOT has 22 existing wetland mitigation banks covering 184
acres.

The Public-Private Transportation Partnerships Act was signed into law in
September 2012 and authorized P3 projects in Pennsylvania. This law allows
PennDOT and other transportation authorities and commissions to partner
with
private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining and financing
transportation-related projects.

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