CONCORD, Mass. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District recently was provided a report on the Maine In-Lieu Fee program titled “Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program, Status and Trends 2011 – 2016.” The report was submitted by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to the Corps of Engineers.

The In-Lieu Fee (ILF) program serves as a form of compensation for impacts to aquatic resources resulting from work authorized by the New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and/or the state of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Compensatory mitigation occurs in circumstances where a permittee is required to compensate for the functions and values of aquatic resources lost as a result of the authorization after all efforts are made to avoid and minimize impacts.

In-Lieu Fee is an option available to the applicant instead of completing permittee responsible mitigation. Use of the In-Lieu Fee program is contingent upon Corps of Engineers and/or state of Maine approval. All In-Lieu Fee agreements in New England are available for review on the Corps’ website at: www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Mitigation.aspx.

This status and trends report reviews the program’s progress towards the goals established in the program instrument signed by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Corps of Engineers New England District on Aug. 15, 2011. It also summaries for the review period: acres protected; fish passage improved; wetlands restored and enhanced; vernal pools protected; permits using the program; funds available for compensation; compensation projects awarded funds in each service area; and funds awarded to the compensation projects in each service area.

The public notice with the status and trends report can be reviewed on the Corps website at:

www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx. It’s also available on the Regulatory In-Lieu Fee and Bank Information Tracking System at https://ribits.usace.army.mil. Select Maine, then under ILF Programs, select Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program and then Cyber Repository.

For additional information on this program (File # NAE-2005-1143) contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Ruth Ladd), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751 or by email to: ruth.m.ladd@usace.army.mil.