The Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP) provides funds through TransNet to protect, preserve, and restore native habitats as offsets to disturbance caused by the construction of regional and local transportation projects. Over the past decade, the $850 million program has helped acquire and/or restore more than 8,780 acres around the region with a total value of about $150 million, in part by leveraging $27 million from conservation partners. Some of the recent acquisitions go above and beyond required environmental mitigation and are made possible through savings achieved by buying land early, at lower prices, and in larger parcels.
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TransNet EMP goes beyond traditional mitigation programs, buying large parcels of land early at lower prices to comprehensively satisfy the mitigation requirements of current and future projects. Purchase of mitigation lands in advance of need will result in cost savings. In addition to the early acquisition of land, the EMP provides funds for regional management and monitoring to maintain the biological value of conserved habitat lands.