Ecobot Expedites Florida Wetland Delineations

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) assumed responsibility for the EPA’s Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 wetlands permitting program in December of 2020. Florida’s state-specific form, Form 62-340, is much longer and more complex than the wetland determination form used by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). A backlog for pre-construction wetlands permitting has grown since. The newest version of Ecobot streamlines the FDEP 404 process and Form 62-340 using automated calculations, built-in QA, look-up tools, reference imagery, and a Florida-specific wetland plant list.

New technology like Ecobot enables environmental consultants to better assess the impact of the built environment on the natural environment. “I’m excited that our team has access to tools that can make their time in the field more efficient,” says Ecobot customer Kelley Samuels, PWS CERP, senior ecologist and certified project manager at AECOM’s Orlando office.

Also included in this update to Ecobot’s platform:

• Updates to the National Wetlands Plant List (NWPL)
• A new landform lookup tool derived from NRCS National Soil Survey Handbook
• Integration with Bluetooth-enabled SXblue GPS devices

The newest version of Ecobot is now available in the Apple App Store.