On Tuesday, April 11, NEBA Board Member Michael Sprague led a meeting with high-ranking officials from the office of Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke in Washington, D.C. The 45-minute meeting was extremely productive and included discussions of the importance of high mitigation standards and the need for a level playing field for species bankers and others committing private investment for conservation.
Sprague shared the latest NEBA whitepaper
with the DOI officials, discussing specific challenges for bankers with programs that may not offer real durability or equivalency in their mitigation efforts.
The NEBA Board of Directors has begun work on a new whitepaper in response to suggestions from Interior and intends to hold follow-up meetings with the Department over the next several months.
Mitigation banking is often discussed in terms of credits—wetland credits, stream credits, or other units used to compensate for unavoidable environmental impacts. But the value of a mitigation bank extends far beyond the regulatory credit itself. Well-designed mitigation banks can provide a broad range of ecosystem services that benefit watersheds, wildlife, communities, and taxpayers.Cleaner Water •
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The National Environmental Banking Association is proud to honor this year’s award recipients—leaders who exemplify innovation, integrity, and excellence in advancing mitigation banking and ecological restoration. These individuals and organizations are setting new standards for environmental outcomes, strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors, and inspiring the next generation of restoration professionals.2026 Award WinnersAward for
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