Public Notice:
Comment Period: March 28, 203 – April 27, 2023
SUBJECT: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps) is evaluating a proposal to
establish the Great Salt Lake Mitigation Bank which would result in the preservation of
approximately 1,661 acres of waters of the United States, including wetlands, in or adjacent to the
North Willow Creek Watershed (HUC 1602030405). This notice is to inform interested parties of the
proposed activity and to solicit comments. This notice may also be viewed at the Corps web site at
www.spk.usace.army.mil/Media/RegulatoryPublicNotices.aspx. A copy of the Great Salt Lake Mitigation
Bank Tooele County, Utah prospectus is available online at the following location:
https://ribits.ops.usace.army.mil/ords/f?p=107:0:5752738957994:APPLICATION_PROC
ESS=AP_DB_DOC:::AI_STRING,AI_ID:inline,120221.
AUTHORITY: This prospectus is being evaluated under 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part
332.8.
SPONSOR: School of Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) Attn: Mr. Troy Herald,
Project Manager
675 East 500 South, Suite 500 Salt Lake City, Utah 84102
LOCATION: The approximately 1,661-acre site is located immediately southwest of the Great Salt
Lake, on the south side of Interstate 80, center point location Latitude: 40.717381°, Longitude
-112.573324°, near the City of Grantsville, Tooele County, Utah.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The prospective Sponsor proposes to establish an approximately 1,661-acre
mitigation bank. The project would result in the preservation of approximately 1,536 acres of
waters of the United States, including wetlands palustrine emergent and lacustrine unconsolidated
shore wetlands, in or adjacent to the
North Willow Creek-Frontal Great Salt Lake watershed. The mitigation bank proposes to create
palustrine emergent wetland and lacustrine unconsolidated shore credits exclusively by preserving
the wetland habitats within the proposed mitigation bank area. SITLA proposes a
10(preservation):1(credit) ratio, resulting in 48 acres of palustrine emergent wetland and 105
acres of lacustrine unconsolidated shore wetland preservation credits.
The proposed service area for the mitigation bank includes the watersheds surrounding the Great
Salt Lake limited to the Gilbert Shoreline elevation of 4,275 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL). The
wetlands below the Gilbert Shoreline elevation within the service area all occur within the same
ecoregion as the proposed mitigation bank site, and all drain to the Great Salt Lake. The Gilbert
Shoreline elevation encompasses the lower elevation urban areas west of Interstate 15 along the
Wasatch Front but does not include most of the Salt Lake valley. The Gilbert Shoreline elevation
has been used to determine the service area of other wetland mitigation banks that have operated
along the Wasatch Front. The attached drawings provide additional details for the proposed service
area.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Environmental Setting. There are approximately 1,056.05 acres of Lacustrine Unconsolidated Shore
wetlands, 480.18 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands, and
123.82 acres of upland areas within the project area. The current proposal creates credits
exclusively by preserving the wetland habitats within the proposed mitigation bank area.
The site is bounded to the northwest by I-80 and on the east by Grantsville Salt Flats. The
southwest boundary of the proposed mitigation bank zigzags over Ellerbeck Road with wetlands
documented on both sides. Seven culverts under Ellerbeck Road allow for a hydrological connection
between wetlands on both sides of the road. Five culverts constructed under I-80 allow for a
surface water connection between the mitigation site and the Great Salt Lake. Currently the site is
leased for grazing but is zoned Manufacturing. Off-road vehicles also use the property for
“mudding”, resulting in deep ruts in several wetland areas. The surface and sub-surface mineral
rights to the proposed mitigation bank are owned by SITLA. In addition, in 2021 the Utah Division
of Water Rights approved SITLA’s acquisition of the water rights to establish the proposed
mitigation bank.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS: The Interagency Review Team responsible for the review and
approval of the proposed mitigation bank includes representatives from the Corps, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 8, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah Division of Water
Quality, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah Department of Natural Resources Utah Geological
Survey and Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands.
HISTORIC PROPERTIES: The Corps will initiate consultation with the State Historic Preservation
Officer under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The proposed mitigation bank may affect federally listed endangered or
threatened species or their critical habitat. The Corps will initiate consultation with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as appropriate.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT: The proposed mitigation bank will not adversely affect Essential Fish
Habitat (EFH) as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
The above determinations are based on information provided by the Sponsor and our preliminary
review.
EVALUATION FACTORS: The Corps is soliciting comments from the public, federal, state, and local
agencies and officials, Indian tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and
evaluate the impacts of this proposed mitigation bank. Any comments received will be considered by
the Corps to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general
environmental effects, and other public interest factors. Comments are used in the evaluation of
the proposed mitigation bank per 33 CFR Part 332.8 and in the preparation of an Environmental
Assessment pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.
SUBMITTING COMMENTS: Written comments, referencing Public Notice SPK-2017- 00505 must be submitted
via email to the office listed below on or before April 27, 2023.
Nicole Fresard
Senior Regulatory Project Manager Utah Regulatory Section
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District Email: Nicole.D.Fresard@usace.army.mil
Telephone:
(801) 295-8380 ext. 8321
Attachments:
Location Map
Existing Wetland Area Map
Mitigation Bank Service Area Map