Mock Debate TNSQT vs. Ratio Crediting
Adam Spiller and Joshua Sitz
KCI Technologies Inc.
Nashville, TN
Authors: Adam Spiller and Josh Sitz
Change is not always accepted with grace. This feels to be especially true in the field of natural resource mitigation. Most of the time when we encounter change it is in the form of regulatory guidance and can feel thrust upon the industry. In these instances those of us working in the industry do not get much of a say in the new guidance, we’re forced to accept it and move on. A few years ago this happened in Tennessee with the adoption of the Tennessee Stream Quantification Tool (SQT). For most of us this was a brand new process and was a huge shift from the ratio system that we all felt that we understood and knew. Many of us in the industry immediately bristled at the new change, found all the things that we didn’t like about the new system, and derided it at any chance we could. Here we are a few years later and we have all had to learn to live with the SQT. While we are living with it, it does not mean that we all like it or that we all hate it. Instead of saying the SQT is all good or all bad, we feel that this is a good opportunity to “debate” the SQT. Having a mock debate about the SQT versus the ratio system will allow us to address the nuance of these systems that at times gets lost in these conversations. We will not dive too deep into the technical nature of the SQT, which have been covered well by other presentations, instead, we’ll focus on what these systems mean to the resources and to the industry. We hope that this “debate” will help us all communicate more effectively about this topic and highlight the ways that each of these mitigation crediting systems works in the marketplace.
About Adam Spiller
Mr. Spiller is the Regional Practice Leader for Natural Resources at KCI Technologies. He’s been at KCI for over 15 years and has a Biology and Environmental Science degree from the College of William and Mary and a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University. His work at KCI has covered all aspects of stream and wetland restoration, dam removal, stream assessment, and other natural resource projects.
About Joshua Sitz
Mr. Sitz is the lead Project Manager for Natural Resources at KCI Technologies in Nashville, TN. He has worked at KCI for 10 years and has an Environmental Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Mr. Sitz manages mitigation banking projects, TDOT stream mitigation projects, dam removals, and stream bank stabilizations for KCI. He specializes in geomorphic assessment, working with the TN SQT, natural channel design, and post-construction monitoring.