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IWR Planner Recognized by Justice Department

Published Jan. 6, 2014
IWR planner Steven Martin was recently recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division.

IWR planner Steven Martin was recently recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division.

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.  Institute for Water Resources (IWR) team member Steven Martin was recently recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division.

Mr. Martin and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region III Senior Counsel Stefania Shamet received recognition for their efforts in resolving two federal court lawsuits involving extensive unauthorized ditching of forested wetlands in southeastern Virginia. The settlement will entail substantial restoration and preservation of more than 300 acres of forested wetlands in the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia.

Mr. Martin is an Environmental Planner at IWR, working in Norfolk, Virginia, where he splits his time between IWR and USACE Norfolk District. Much of his work focuses on compensatory mitigation policy. His current efforts include national implementation of the Regulatory In-lieu fee and Bank Information Tracking System (RIBITS), teaching aspects of compensatory mitigation policy to USACE staff and other federal and state agencies, and tool development to assist regulators in improving compensatory mitigation success.

Prior to joining IWR, Mr. Martin worked for the Norfolk District Regulatory Branch where his work included wetland delineation, permitting and compensatory mitigation.  While in Norfolk, Mr. Martin chaired 7 commercial mitigation banks, helped develop a template Mitigation Bank Instrument, off-site mitigation location guidelines, an in-lieu fee program instrument, and joint Norfolk District-Virginia DEQ Wetland Mitigation Guidelines.