What GAO Found When activities impact wetlands, streams, or other waters of the U.S., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can require compensatory mitigation activities—such as removing invasive species from wetlands. GAO reviewed Corps oversight of compensatory mitigation activities and found that the three districts it selected had generally improved the frequency of oversight activities, compared with Corps districts selected for a 2005 GAO report. Specifically, the three selected districts’ mitigation files generally included at least one monitoring report, and the three districts improved the degree to which they are performing compliance inspections compared to the districts in the 2005 report. In both 2026 and 2005, GAO found that the Corps (1) can take a variety of enforcement actions if required compensatory mitigation is not performed and (2) relies primarily on negotiation with those responsible for the mitigation as a first step in the enforcement process. Corps Role in Oversight of Compensatory Mitigation While selected Corps districts generally have improved the frequency of oversight activities, districts have taken inconsistent approaches to implementing certain compensatory mitigation requirements in mitigation plans required by Corps regulations. For example, nearly all of the district files GAO reviewed addressed financial assurances—a required part of mitigation…
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Clean Water Act: Corps of Engineers Has Improved Oversight of Compensatory Mitigation, but Needs Implementation Guidance
Source: US GAO Reports — US Government, Public Domain