Development of a Multi-Habitat Umbrella Mitigation Banking Agreement at the Port of Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Harbor Department (LAHD) operates the Port of Los Angeles (Port) located in San Pedro Bay, California. The LAHD is developing a multi-habitat umbrella mitigation banking agreement (UMBA) to facilitate compliance with current mitigation regulations. The UMBA will address a variety of potential mitigation opportunities under one bank framework, in recognition of the dynamic nature of the Port's mitigation needs across varying habitats, including harbor habitat, eelgrass, and wetlands. Bank Enabling Instruments (BEIs) will be developed pursuant to the habitat-specific frameworks established in the proposed agreement. The UMBA will be a valuable example of developing a large-scale, multi-habitat mitigation program that provides a holistic approach for addressing a variety of potential impacts and mitigation opportunities. It will also streamline the approval of project-specific mitigation, thereby saving valuable time for resources to be directed towards achieving successful mitigation projects rather than being mired in the regulatory process.