Good News! DOTs in PA are driving innovation thru nature-based solutions and alternative procurement to reduce project cost, and drive major co-benefits for communities and ecosystems.
September 24, 2026
at 12:00 (Noon) Eastern
DOTs have a unique ability to drive and shape innovation within the ecological offset industry, due to the size and frequency of DOT's unavoidable impacts to wetlands, streams, endangered species, stormwater, etc. The ecological offset industry started with wetland mitigation banking but has evolved over the past 10-15 years in PA to include streams, endangered species, riparian buffers, and water-quality offsets tied to stormwater, MS4, TMDL, and CSO compliance. This change is due to an evolution in regulatory permit requirements (increasing environmental compliance burden and cost), which are requiring much more complex and expensive regulatory-compliance measures. However, cost-savings, decreases in DOT-staff administrative effort, reduced permit timelines can be found, thru innovation in procurement and a focus on nature-based solutions. These nature-based solutions, while focused on different forms of 'credits' (wetland-credits, bat-credits, sediment-pollution-credits, etc.), can have incredible co-benefits for wildlife and humans. One example include the rare mountain chorus frog that showed up on a southwest PA wetland/stream mitigation bank (and didn't care who bought the wetland credits, he/she was just happy to have a unique restored habitat that didn't exist until the mitigation bank was built). This bank was funded by coal companies, PennDOT, airports, and a slew of other private and public infrastructure developers buying said credits. Other case studies which will be highlighted include:
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PTC early engagement in 404 mitigation banking in PA, driving two large banks in SW and SE PA, with the SE PA bank expanding fish habitat for prey and predatory fish. We 'expand' fish habitat when intermittent streams are restored, and post-restoration exhibit perennial flow.
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PennDOT engagement in innovative MS4 procurement, leading to nature-based sediment reduction solutions within the urban Paxton Creek watershed. One BMP was developed on PA Fish and Boat Commission property, where intermittent stormwater-driven/eroding channels were restored to perennial streams surrounded by lush floodplain wetlands. This BMP was the site of the Governor's inaugural 'PA Native Species Diversity Day' a few years ago, calling attention to the incredible increase in biodiversity post-restoration of the BMP/stream corridor.
- DOT's increase in bat-mitigation requirements is driving innovation in the endangered species offset space, thru the purchase of bank-credits, but we anticipate in the future driving conservation efforts focused on hibernacula restoration, in both NY and PA.
Presenter: Jon Kasitz - has over two decades of experience helping public and private clients solve complex environmental challenges, specifically those regarding wetland/stream resources, water quality, and biodiversity, His decade-plus at RES has been highlighted by the development of creative ecological offsets and water quality solutions for many of the largest public and private infrastructure projects around the state, as well as the expansion of the wetland, stream, and endangered species mitigation banking industry. As Client Solutions Manager at RES, Jon has successfully connected private companies, State agencies, and Municipalities across Pennsylvania with the best and most cost-effective nature-based solutions to their water quality and regulatory compliance challenges. Jon lives in Coatesville, Chester County and enjoys both working and recreating in the woods, fields and streams of Pennsylvania.
Registration Deadline: September 21, 2026
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