Wetlands Consultants

1. Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)

• This is the essential coverage for a wetlands professional, focusing on the accuracy of "Delineation Reports".
   

• It protects against claims of professional negligence if a consultant fails to identify a jurisdictional wetland that is later discovered during construction.
   

• If an owner must stop work and redesign a project at a cost of millions because the consultant missed a protected area, this coverage addresses the resulting financial damages and legal fees.

2. Mitigation & Permitting Liability

• Consultants often design "Wetland Mitigation Banks" or restoration plans to offset development impacts.
   

• If a mitigation plan fails to meet the survival rates for plant species required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the consultant can be held liable for the cost of replanting and the financial losses caused by the delay in permit sign-off.

3. General Liability

• To perform accurate delineations, consultants must spend significant time in the field, often in difficult terrain or remote areas.
   

• General Liability protects the firm if the consultant causes property damage or a third-party injury while conducting field surveys (e.g., damaging a fence or accidentally starting a brush fire with equipment).

4. Pollution Liability

• While wetlands consultants generally protect the environment, they may inadvertently cause "siltation" or sediment runoff during their field testing.
   

• This coverage addresses the legal and remediation costs if the consultant's site activities (like soil probing) are alleged to have caused a local pollution condition.