Mitigate with credits

What is an In-Lieu Fee program?

The Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust (WWCT) is a wetland mitigation in-lieu fee (ILF) program sponsored and administered by the Wisconsin DNR. Through the sale of credits, the WWCT can satisfy a permittee or exemption project proponent's legal responsibility to purchase wetland mitigation credits specified by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and DNR wetland authorizations. In some cases, the WWCT may provide wetland mitigation credits in areas where no other mitigation credits are currently available.

Where is the program offered?

ILF mitigation credits are available throughout the entire state of Wisconsin. There are 12 separate ILF Service Areas (major watersheds) which are the same as those used for mitigation banking and permittee responsible mitigation.

How do I purchase credits?

Wetland mitigation is required for all individual permits and for some nonfederal wetland exemption requests. A permittee or exempt project proponent may satisfy their wetland mitigation permit requirement by purchasing Advanced Credits from the WWCT Program, typically no mitigation banks are available in the same service area. A WWCT credit purchase can be completed quickly after the permit or exemption review is completed.

Typical WWCT credit purchase process:

1. The Permittee (or exempt applicant) applies for a DNR Wetland Permit.
2. When wetland mitigation is required, the Permittee may propose a mitigation site of their own (PRM), or to purchase mitigation credits.
3. The DNR Mitigation Coordinator and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (if applicable) determine that the Permittee must purchase WWCT credits to compensate for unavoidable impacts to wetland resources.
4. The WWCT emails the Permittee the customer information table.
5. The Permittee fills out the customer information table and emails to the WWCT.
6. The WWCT creates an invoice for the credit purchase and emails to the Permittee.
7. The Permittee sends appropriate funds to the WWCT.
8. The WWCT emails an affidavit of purchase to the Permittee for review and signature.
9. The Permittee emails the signed affidavit to the WWCT.
10. The WWCT signs the affidavit and emails to the DNR Mitigation Coordinator, appropriate DNR Water Management Specialist, appropriate Corps staff, and the Permittee.
11. The credit sale is complete and the WWCT holds all legal responsibility for the mitigation.

How much do credits cost?

Credit fees include the costs associated with administration of the program, a contingency fund, and all mitigation project costs, including project selection, design, planning, engineering, acquisition, implementation, monitoring, and long-term management. The WWCT reserves the right to alter the credit fee annually and to set different credit fees in each service area to account for variable costs such as land values.

Last Updated 7/1/2024