Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund
Working to sustain the functions and values of aquatic resources in New Hampshire.
The Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) program offers an alternative to permittee-responsible mitigation for unavoidable impacts to jurisdictional areas such as streams and wetlands. In these instances, In-Lieu Fee (ILF) payments compensate for unavoidable impacts. Funds are pooled according to nine watersheds, or service areas, and awarded as competitive grants to fund restoration, enhancement, and in certain cases preservation. The program manages and awards these funds through an annual grant round, which includes a Request for Proposals.
The ARM Fund's goal is to provide sustainable compensatory mitigation, meeting a federal goal of “no net loss” of functions and values of aquatic resources by supporting restoration, enhancement, establishment and, in certain cases, preservation activities that are ecologically important and will effectively sustain aquatic resource functions in the watershed for the long term.
Grant applications are reviewed by a site selection committee. The committee uses a set of evaluation criteria as well as the best available science provided by the state Wildlife Action Plan, Natural Heritage Bureau, regional conservation plans and wetlands functional assessments.
2025 Annual Funding Round Opening Soon!
NHDES will accept pre-proposals this spring for the 2025 grant round. Grant funds will be available to support aquatic resource restoration, enhancement, establishment and, in certain circumstances, preservation activities to offset lost functions and values authorized by state and federal permit decisions. To meet ARM’s compensatory mitigation obligations, projects must enable self-sustaining natural systems within the landscape that require little or no ongoing maintenance needs or hydrologic manipulation.
Featured Project Example
New Hampshire roads include thousands of stream "crossings" such as bridges, arches and culverts. Mill Brook in Concord is featured in a short video as an example of a recent stream crossing restoration project.
What makes a project eligible?
Funds can be used to restore, enhance and protect wetlands and streams. The program seeks to fund projects that will maintain and increase important functions such as water quality, wildlife habitat and flood storage.
Review the In-Lieu Fee Instrument
For more information on the ARM Program’s structure, responsibilities, standards for the use, operation and maintenance of the ARM Fund in compliance with the Federal Mitigation Rule, please review the final ARM Fund Program In-Lieu Fee Instrument (published 2023).
Find Your Service Areas
Service areas are designated by the boundaries of nine major river basins. The impact payments that go into the ARM Fund can only be used to fund projects within the same service area.
The ARM calculator has been updated as of March 1, 2025, to estimate the ILF compensatory mitigation payment required to offset unavoidable project specific impacts 
if mitigation is required for a project. The calculator can be completed electronically (click “Begin Form Entry”) or in Excel (click “Download Mail-In Form”).
Resources
Site Selection Committee
The Site Selection Committee is a team of state and non-governmental conservation agencies that review the applications and recommend funding for projects. Team members represent a breadth of expert knowledge in the fields of botany, wetlands ecology, wildlife biology, and stream science, and have decades of experience working in New Hampshire on environmental issues. The committee reviews the applications using the best available science and visits the sites to rank projects using the evaluation criteria.