§ 3957 — Environmental Banks

(a) Not later than 1 year after December 16, 2016, the Task Force shall, after public notice and opportunity for comment, issue guidelines for the use, maintenance, and oversight of environmental banks in Louisiana. (b) The guidelines issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall— (1) set forth procedures for establishment and approval of environmental banks subject to the approval of the heads of the appropriate Federal agencies responsible for implementation of Federal environmental laws for which mitigation credits may be used; (2) establish criteria for siting of environmental banks that enhance the resilience of coastal resources to inundation and coastal erosion in high priority areas, as identified within Federal or State restoration plans, including the restoration of resources within the scope of a project authorized for construction; (3) establish criteria that ensure environmental banks secure adequate financial assurances and legally enforceable protection for the land or resources that generate the credits from environmental banks; (4) or the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) in an area where an existing mitigation bank approved pursuant to such laws within 5 years of enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 has credits available; (5) establish performance criteria for environmental banks; and (6) establish criteria and financial assurance for the operation and monitoring of environmental banks. (1) In this section, the term “environmental bank” means a project, project increment, or projects for purposes of restoring, creating, or enhancing natural resources at a designated site to establish mitigation credits. (2) Mitigation credits created from environmental banks approved pursuant to this section may be used to satisfy existing liability under Federal environmental laws. (1) Guidelines developed under this section and mitigation carried out through an environmental bank established pursuant to such guidelines shall comply with all applicable requirements of Federal law (including regulations), including— (A) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.); (B) the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); (C) the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.); (D) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and (E) section 2283 of title 33. (2) Nothing in this section may be construed to affect— (A) any authority, regulatory determination, or legal obligation in effect the day before December 16, 2016; or (B) the obligations or requirements of any Federal environmental law. (e) No new environmental bank may be created or approved pursuant to this section after the date that is 14 years after December 16, 2016.