Opinion ID: 2333047
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: DelDOT's Mitigation Proposal

Text: DelDOT's Route 54 project design, constructing an elevated viaduct and a six foot elevated fill berm to access it, crossed wetlands. The fill for the approaches to the viaduct required DelDOT to obtain permits to fill wetlands from the Corps. DelDOT engaged Edward Launay (Launay), a professional wetland scientist, to address the issue of wetlands mitigation. After conducting an assessment of potential wetlands mitigation sites along the Route 54 corridor, Launay selected only one mitigation site, an additional 6.53 acres of the Cannons' land. Initially, Launay did not conduct a formal off-site search since the environmental agencies prefer on-site mitigation as a first option and the Cannon property provided an ideal site adjacent to the roadway improvements. After a June 3, 1999 meeting with the Cannons, however, DelDOT agreed to have Launay review other potential off-site areas near the project. Nevertheless, the record reflects that Launay submitted the Cannons' property to the Corps as the only mitigation site, apparently without reviewing other off-site areas. Consequently, the Cannons requested, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, that DelDOT identify and provide all lands held by the State which are earmarked or could be used for mitigation of filling Federal Title 10 Section 404 wetlands. In response to the Cannons' Freedom of Information Act request, DelDOT sought to obtain answers through internal communications. Those internal communications reflect that, in response to the Cannons' request, DelDOT Real Estate employee, V. Wayne Rizzo (Rizzo), was asked to provide a list of all State owned lands in the Route 54 project vicinity, which would also be passed on to Launay to review for mitigation potential. On June 15, 2000, Rizzo determined that no DelDOT owned lands existed in the Route 54 project vicinity. On June 19, 2000, DelDOT asked for the evaluation of other state owned land in the area. Thereafter, as a result of these internal communications, in response to the Cannons' Freedom of Information Act request, Launay was asked to review eighteen excess Sussex County properties owned by DelDOT for potential use as wetlands mitigation sites. [76] Launay issued a report evaluating DelDOT's properties on September 28, 2000. [77] Launay stated that he thought he was requested to study other DelDOT properties since DelDOT wanted to make sure that they didn't, in fact, hold other properties that could be suitable and to prepare a document stating so. Launay determined that the eighteen DelDOT properties were inferior to the Cannons' additional property and unacceptable as mitigation sites.