Uniform Mitigation Assessment Methodology
Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM)
Section 373.414(18), Florida Statutes directed the
department and water management districts (WMDs), in
cooperation with local governments and the relevant federal
agencies, to develop a state-wide method to determine the
amount of mitigation required for regulatory permits. The
Uniform Wetland Assessment Method (UMAM) rule (Chapter
62-345, F.A.C.) went into effect on February 2, 2004.
Although only the Department was required to adopt the
method by rule, it is now the sole means for all state
entities (DEP, Water Management Districts, local governments
and other governmental entities) to determine the amount of
mitigation needed to offset adverse impacts to wetlands and
other surface waters and to determine mitigation bank
credits awarded and debited.
The rule is not intended to affect the many other aspects of
wetland regulation that remain intact in current rules, such
as ascertaining that the direct and secondary impacts have
been reduced or eliminated, that the project does not result
in unacceptable cumulative impacts, the appropriateness of
the mitigation, and so forth.
Although the state directive does not include the US Army
Corps of Engineers (COE), the COE Jacksonville office
conducted a study of the method and recommended UMAM be used
for federal wetland regulatory purposes starting August 1,
2005. However, the COE will continue to use its time lag
table rather than the state’s time lag table.
