By ALEX PREISSER
Florida has long stood at the forefront of environmental innovation, especially where natural resource protection and economic development intersect. This leadership is perhaps best exemplified by the evolution of our State’s wetland mitigation banking industry — a story that now finds a striking parallel in the emerging market for Stormwater Nutrient Credits (SNCs).
The 1990s marked a turning point for the protection of wetlands in Florida. Previously, project-by-project mitigation for permitted wetland impacts too often resulted in inconsistent ecological outcomes and tangled regulatory review. In 1993, Florida’s legislature responded by adopting Florida Statute 373.4135, which directed the State to encourage and participate in the creation of public and private mitigation banks as a means of offsetting unavoidable wetland impacts. This statutory framework remains the foundation of Florida’s mitigation banking industry.
Mitigation Marketing was founded in 1995 in the wake of this legislative milestone. As a company, we have witnessed and participated in the transition to a credit-based system where permit applicants satisfy regulatory requirements by purchasing credits from permitted, ecologically significant wetland restoration or conservation projects. Our role is to help land owners and credit buyers navigate a complex market and facilitate transactions necessary to keep projects moving forward while balancing economic needs with environmental accountability.
Today, Florida is seeing history repeat itself. Nutrient pollution, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from urban and agricultural development, has been cited as a leading cause of impaired waters across the State. Previous stormwater rules were no longer viewed as adequately protective or effective given population growth, land use changes, and climate impacts. Florida’s legislature once again responded with the bipartisan passage of Senate Bill 7040, set for implementation in December 2025. The new rule calls for enhanced statewide stormwater treatment performance standards and creates the framework for a market-based system of Stormwater Nutrient Credits (SNCs).
In an effort to evolve alongside Florida’s regulatory landscape, Mitigation Marketing and National Stormwater Trust, Inc. are partnering to expand the availability and distribution of SNCs across the State.
Led by a team of industry veterans familiar with the regulatory landscape, NST was founded to meet Florida’s stormwater challenges with forward-thinking solutions. NST has built a robust portfolio of stormwater infrastructure projects that are engineered, permitted, and operated to deliver verified nutrient reductions.
These reductions can then be converted into SNCs that can be used to offset nutrient loads from new or redevelopment projects. By purchasing nutrient credits generated off-site through scientifically validated and permitted projects, developers and communities can reduce liability and meet regulatory requirements without sacrificing buildable area or escalating project costs.
This new partnership represents a shared commitment to regulatory compliance, environmental innovation, market-based conservation, and clean water for Florida’s future. By combining NST’s engineering expertise and Mitigation Marketing’s market experience and outreach capabilities, we’re creating a new standard for credit delivery in the stormwater space. As the regulatory landscape continues to shift, we’re ready to help our clients adapt — and succeed.
Alex Preisser is President and CEO of Mitigation Marketing
