(1) The department may certify only those banks that meet the requirements of this chapter. Certification shall be accomplished through a banking instrument. The local jurisdiction in which the bank is located shall be signatory to the banking instrument.

     (2) For a bank for which an application for a banking instrument was filed January 1, 2008, or thereafter, the department may not certify a bank without local approval of the bank. The local jurisdiction in which the bank is located has final approval over the certification of the mitigation bank. If the local government approves the bank, it shall be a signatory to the banking instrument.

     (3) State agencies and local governments may approve use of credits from a bank for any mitigation required under a permit issued or approved by that state agency or local government to compensate for the proposed impacts of a specific public or private project.

[2008 c 80 § 2; 1998 c 248 § 5.]