Originally published in Florida Weekly by Roger Williams on July 30, 2025
FIVE: Senate Bill 492 — Land Development
This represents a major change in the longstanding practice of wetland mitigation, when developers agree to “mitigate” destruction of wetlands by creating or restoring others in the same area.
Now they don’t have to do it in the same area.
“SB 492 makes it easier for developers to destroy on-site wetlands through changes in mitigation banking rules,” explained John Cassani, Calusa Waterkeeper emeritus .
“Now, wetlands impacted or destroyed can be mitigated in basins outside of the development project and enable earlier release of mitigation credits for this purpose. This is bad policy since wetlands are so important for buffering storms and improving water quality.”
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