What We Do

The Living River Trust is the first mitigation tool of its kind in the United States to be approved by the federal government for compensation of impacts to the bottom of a waterway.

The Living River Trust meets developers’ needs to offset environmental impacts to the Elizabeth River watershed — particularly impacts to life along the river bottom (benthic impacts).

Funds are used to offset impacts that cannot be avoided, by achieving as many benefits as possible to the Elizabeth River ecosystem. Currently, funds primarily are expended for projects that clean up contaminated river bottom. This compensates off-site for harm to healthy river bottom when

permittees conduct new dredging or filling projects for which government agencies require mitigation.

Use of the Trust as government sanctioned “mitigation,” or offsetting of impacts, should be considered only after every reasonable option has been pursued to avoid or reduce environmental harm.

Need for The Living River Trust

Life along the river bottom represents the foundation of the food chain for the Elizabeth River. Sixteen percent of all life occurs along the bottom of waterways. Striped bass, spot and blue crabs are examples of commercial and recreational fisheries depending on a healthy river bottom.

The Living Trust replaces lost habitat for these and other species of this critical link in a healthy ecosystem for Hampton Roads.

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