Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar. 

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.


Tuesday, September 16, 2025
8:30 am – 3:30 pm CDT


Agenda:

Wetlands Science
Presented by Susan-Marie Stedman

  • Wetland definitions – biological and regulatory
  • Wetland characteristics – hydrology, plants, and soils
  • Wetland types and classification
  • Wetland functions and services

Wetlands History in the United States: Systematic Destruction and Degradation
Presented by Susan-Marie Stedman

  • Indigenous and colonial use of wetlands
  • Agricultural conversion of wetlands
  • Development and wetlands
  • Federal wetland conservation
  • State wetlands initiatives
  • Current (and future?) wetland trends

Wetlands Mitigation: Objectives and Processes
Presented by Steven Martin

  • Purpose of wetland mitigation
  • Wetland mitigation mechanisms
    • Wetland restoration
    • Wetland enhancement
    • Wetland preservation
  • Mitigation options

Permittee Responsible Mitigation
Presented by Kevin Thomas

  • Parameters of acceptable projects
  • Draft compensation site plan and submittal requirements
  • Long term monitoring, conservation easement and 3rd Party Holders 
  • Pure PRM vs Banker Sponsored PRM examples

Wetland Mitigation Banking
Presented by Steven Martin

  • Wetland mitigation banking process
  • Service areas and sponsors
  • Regulatory compliance

State In-Lieu Fee Programs
Presented by Chelsea Keefer

  • State In-Lieu fee program overviews
  • In-lieu fee mitigation projects
  • Funding for restoration projects
  • Mitigation by purchasing in-lieu credits

 

Webinar Instructions 
 
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited. 

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher. 

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email. 

GoToWebinar App requirements:  
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS 

Web Browser:  
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions) 
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions) 

Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better 

Hardware:  2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended) 

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com 

Credits

Engineers
6.0 PDHs

Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours

AIA - American Institute of Architects
6.0 HSW LUs

Landscape Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours

LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
6.0 HSW PDHs

Floodplain Managers
6.0 ASFPM CECs

APA/AICP - American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners
6.0 CM

 

Continuing Education Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for landscape architects in all states that allow this learning method. Please refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.

HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida (Provider No. CEA362), Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, and New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00000700). HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for Florida landscape architects (PVD124). HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York architects, engineers and landscape architects via its registration with American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System. Other states do not preapprove continuing education providers or courses.

The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW LUs (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA/CES.

The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.

The Association of State Floodplain Managers has approved this course for 6.0 CECs for floodplain managers.

HalfMoon Education is an approved CM Provider with the American Planning Association. This course is registered for CM | 6 for Certified Planners.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).

*On-Demand Credits*

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:

6.0 HSW LUs (AIA)
6.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES) 

Speakers

Chelsea Keefer

Restoration Biologist with the Stream + Wetlands Foundation

Ms. Keefer, MS has been a restoration biologist for the Stream + Wetlands Foundation (S+W) since June 2020, and she has eight years of experience working in the natural resources field. She is responsible for preparing and overseeing coordination of S+W’s mitigation project submittals to the Interagency Review Team. During her time at S+W, she has been instrumental in the submission and approval of over 20 in-lieu fee (ILF), mitigation bank, and permitee responsible projects. To date, the S+W ILF program is fully in compliance with all its advance credit sales obligations. Prior to joining the S+W team, Ms. Keefer worked for a northeast Ohio environmental consulting firm where she primarily worked on mitigation projects. She also worked at two different environmental test laboratories performing soil and water analyses using sophisticated equipment. During her formal education, she conducted a rigorous research study in native species revegetation and seed ecology. Ms. Keefer published her findings as the primary author of a peer reviewed research paper that appeared in the Journal of Rangeland Ecology and Management.

Steven Martin

Retired Environmental Scientist with the Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources

Mr. Martin has worked with compensatory mitigation policy and evaluation of mitigation proposals for 20 years. He assisted non-profits in evaluating potential mitigation projects and consults for the Ecological Restoration Business Association (ERBA) and the private sector. Mr. Martin co-authored EPA’s Mitigation and In-Lieu Fee Program Review Workbooks and checklists. He has collaborated with ERBA and the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) on quantitative and qualitative analyses of mitigation bank approvals. Mr. Martin is currently working with two In Lieu Fee (ILF) programs; the Coastal Virginia Conservancy and the Florida Keys Restoration Fund. He retired from the Corps’ Institute for Water Resources (IWR) as a mitigation specialist. Mr. Martin’s work at IWR included national implementation of the Regulatory In-lieu fee and Bank Information Tracking System (RIBITS), teaching aspects of compensatory mitigation policy and practices to Corps staff and other agencies, and development of tools to improve compensatory mitigation. He co-authored handbooks on financial assurances and site protection. Prior to joining IWR, Mr. Martin worked for the Army Corps’ Norfolk District Regulatory Branch where he participated in delineations, permitting, enforcement, and compensatory mitigation. He oversaw development of 7 commercial mitigation banks, a state-wide in-lieu fee program instrument, and local compensatory mitigation tools.

Susan-Marie Stedman

Wetland Scientist and Policy Analyst, Retired

With over 35 years of experience in wetlands with private industry and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, Ms. Stedman has worked in a wide range of wetlands. As a wetland consultant working in New York and New Jersey she prepared permit applications, conducted environmental reviews, and designed compensatory mitigation projects. During her lengthy federal career she represented NOAA on the White House Wetlands Working Group, the Interagency Coastal Wetlands Working Group, and many other interagency cooperative efforts. As a wetland expert for NOAA she wrote regulations, policy, and guidance related to wetland conservation and compensatory mitigation, including the NOAA Mitigation Policy. In cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service she has co-authored three landmark reports on wetland loss trends in coastal watersheds.

LinkedIn

Kevin Thomas, PWS, CPSS

Principal Consultant with Davey Resource Group Inc

Mr. Thomas has more than 26 years of extensive consulting experience specializing in natural resource studies, federal and state authorities having jurisdiction for environmental permitting and compliance, acquisition support, natural resource mitigation, transportation, mining, industrial, municipal, energy, private and public sector clients, in support of various projects for commercial, federal, state, and local entities. Through trusted relationships with clients and authorities having jurisdiction for environmental permitting and compliance, he has built partnerships to deliver on large, complex natural resource projects. These partnerships have led to financial savings, increased community engagement for stakeholders, and allowed for long-term sustainable practices for clients. Mr. Thomas builds and champions multi-disciplinary teams to perform natural resource assessments, impacts, and design full Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) or Mitigation Banking Instrument (MBI) plans for natural resource projects that include Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance (section 404 permitting with the US Army Corps of Engineers [USACE]), CWA Section 401 state water quality permitting and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) permitting. He has also focused on designing and permitting habitat enhancements for federal and state-listed special-status species. In compliance with the Endangered Species Act, he is skilled in Threatened or Endangered Species surveys, consultations with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and local, state, and federal commenting agencies for take permits. 

AIA Info

AIA Provider Statement: 

HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3). 

This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. 

AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. 

Course Title:  Wetland Mitigation Law and Procedure

Delivery Method: Live Online 

Course Description: This 6.0-hour course explores wetland mitigation laws, requirements, options and procedures. The course begins with an explanation of wetland science, hydrology and environmental benefits and a summation of the history of wetlands in the United States, particularly their destruction and degradation. The course then dives deep into wetland mitigation objectives and compares mitigation mechanisms, including enhancement, restoration and preservation. The course then explores permitting parameters and requirements, wetland mitigation banking processes, and state in-lieu fee programs.

Learning Objectives: 

Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify and define wetlands by their soils and vegetation and explain the environmental services provided by wetlands.

Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to analyze the objectives and processes of wetland mitigation, including key mechanisms such as wetland preservation, restoration and enhancement.

Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to identify the parameters of permittable projects and discuss draft compensation site plans, submittal requirements and conservation easements.

Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to explain the structure and function of state in-lieu fee programs, including how credits are used to fund wetland mitigation and restoration projects, and evaluate their role in meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

LUs: 6.0

LU Type: LU|HSWs 

Prerequisites: Experience with site planning

Advance Preparation: None 

Program Level: Intermediate 

Course Expiration Date:  07/17/2028

Complaint Resolution Policy: 

Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation. 

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $339.00

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