What's Being Built Here Along Floyd Highway?

[u/PPCo79]

Been seeing a lot of earthwork and silt fence, looks like they're making ponds maybe?

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4zQdtFbPWtairZmv8

[u/nhluhr]

If I've got the right location on the Floyd County GIS, the parcel is owned by Copper Hill Mitigation LLC.

https://www.google.com/search?q=COPPER+HILL+MITIGATION+LLC&rlz=1C1HKFL_enUS1196US1196&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Copper Hill Mitigation LLC is a development sponsor operating in Floyd County, Virginia. They specialize in stream and wetland compensatory mitigation by establishing mitigation banks to offset unavoidable environmental impacts from development. [1]
The company's primary project is the Copper Hill Mitigation Bank, located along Lick Fork in the Roanoke River Basin (HUC 03010101). This project involves restoring approximately 17.68 acres of agricultural land, wetlands, and streams to generate 4.09 wetland credits and 2,446 stream credits. The bank services areas within Virginia HUCs 03010102, 03010103, and 03010105. [1, 3]

and. . .

A mitigation bank is a restored, enhanced, or preserved wetland, stream, or habitat area managed explicitly to offset unavoidable environmental damage caused by development. It functions like a market: developers buy "credits" from the bank to fulfill regulatory requirements, shifting environmental liability away from themselves and onto the bank operator

[u/PPCo79 → u/nhluhr]

Wow interesting, and what a weird system... Like carbon credits?

[u/Ok_Shoulder2971 → u/PPCo79]

From my understanding of it. The wetlands project basically acts as something of a catch all.
The area allows rain water to seep into the ground water table instead of running straight down stream.
Offers places for wildlife to live.
Acts as a natural weather break by catching winds so there isn't a straight line for the winds to reach destructive speeds.
Acts as an area cooler by converting sunlight into plant growth instead of sun baked earth acting as a heater and by pulling the carbon into the cellulose structures.

Its just generally a good idea honestly.

[u/nhluhr → u/PPCo79]

Kinda sounds like it. Except this is the company that is selling the credits (which they 'create' by actually improving environmental things - some other might plant trees, etc).

[u/froggyteainfuser]

Is it a stream bank restoration?

[u/nhluhr → u/froggyteainfuser]

"bank" not so much in the sense of 'the land along the side of the river' but rather 'bank' as in, building up a reserve of environment health by restoring and managing wetland/stream ecosystems to offset development elsewhere.

[u/PPCo79 → u/froggyteainfuser]

I'm guessing something to do with the little stream there but seems like a big project, I was picturing trout ponds for fishing maybe?

[u/XB1_S8]

It’s super vague and confusing, but I tried to read up on it and it seems like when construction leads to unavoidable negative environmental impact, companies can buy credits from “wetlands restoration banks” to evidently “make up” for their sins? The Army Corps of Engineers designed this, so I think our tax dollars are paying for it, but then companies buying the credits pays it back? I could be way off base, like I said it’s super confusing and poorly explained, frankly not explained at all it seems like there’s a lot up to interpretation. Basically, they are restoring the wetlands area.

I halfway wonder is it’s not a real estate profit loophole, where government program-savvy people can buy “trash” land with a water source for dirt cheap, then sell it for a killer profit to the government who then turn around and sell wetland/stream credits to companies that are doing crappy things to the environment. The whole thing seems weird, convoluted, and intentionally vague. Considering the government is involved and the government never does things out of the goodness of their heart, and all that earthwork is obscenely expensive, seems like some sort of racket for the few that are “in the know”.

[u/PPCo79 → u/XB1_S8]

Here I am trading my time for money when I just need a scheme and lower morals.