What’s it about in short: On November 3 President Obama issued a memorandum encouraging a standard set of practices across several federal departments and agencies for the application of the mitigation hierarchy, including offsetting.
When was it released: November 3, 2015
By whom: Barack Obama, White House
More info: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/11/03/mitigating-impacts-natural-resources-development-and-encouraging-related and see also the related LinkedIn discussion
Short extract:
As efforts across the country have demonstrated, it is possible to achieve strong environmental outcomes while encouraging development and providing services to the American people. This occurs through policies that direct the planning necessary to address harmful impacts on natural resources by avoiding and minimizing impacts, then compensating for impacts that do occur. Moreover, when opportunities to offset foreseeable harmful impacts to natural resources are available in advance, agencies and project proponents have more options to achieve positive environmental outcomes and potentially reduce permitting timelines.