Pine Island Mitigation Bank

Ironwood Resource Advisors is pleased to announce the addition of the proposed Pine Island Mitigation Bank (PIMB) to its portfolio of clients represented in Texas. Located in Hardin County, the bank will generate an estimated 35,000-50,000 intermittent stream credits in the Galveston District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. The projected service area encompasses the entirety of Pine Island Bayou, Lower Neches and Village watersheds within Texas. This site currently has Permittee-Responsible Mitigation capabilities for stream impacts in southeast Texas's southeast including Hardin, Liberty, Jasper, Jefferson, Orange, Chambers, Polk, Tyler, and Angelina Counties, and the city of Beaumont.

 PIMB's strategic location within the ecologically significant segment of Pine Island Bayou, as recognized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, underscores its importance. This region boasts a rich diversity of threatened or endangered species and unique ecosystems, adding to its ecological significance. Furthermore, Pine Island Mitigation Bank is situated within the Big Thicket Biosphere Reserve, one of only 46 such reserves in the United States. These reserves are dedicated to conserving ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity while promoting sustainable economies and fostering research and education. The Big Thicket National Preserve, established by the National Park Service in 1974, also holds the distinction of being an international biosphere reserve accredited by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

 Mitigation banks like PIMB play a crucial role in providing developers with compensatory mitigation solutions for unavoidable adverse impacts to wetlands, streams, and other Waters of the United States. These banks effectively transfer risk and streamline the permitting process by offering preapproved environmental offsets, authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.