US Army Corps of Engineers

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JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT

Navigating the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers

Regulatory Process

Angela Ryan

Biologist

Tampa Permits Section

May 16, 2012

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Regulatory Mission

To protect the Nation’s aquatic

resources, while allowing reasonable

development through fair, flexible and

balanced permit decisions.

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Authority Authority Geographic Activity

Section 10, Rivers

and Harbors Act of

1899

Navigable

Waters of

U.S.

All Structures or Work.

(the construction, excavation, or

deposition of materials in, over,

or under such waters, or any

work which would affect the

course, location, condition, or

capacity of those waters.).

Section 404 Clean

Water Act of 1977

Waters of

U.S., e.g.

wetlands and

streams

Discharge of dredged

or fill material.

Section 103,

Marine Protection,

Research and

Sanctuaries Act

Ocean

Transportation of

dredged material for

the purpose of disposal

in the ocean.

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Jurisdiction in Tidal Waters

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Types of Permits

Individual Permit (IP)

► Public Notice (PN)

► Full project review procedure

Letter of Permission (LOP)

► Abbreviated permit procedure

► Coordination letter in lieu of a public notice

► Minor Impacts

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General Permits

Regional General Permits (GP) ► Specific approach for specific area

► Conditions deal with area issues

Programmatic General Permits (PGP) ► Take advantage of similar program

► Reduce regulatory duplication

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2012 Nationwide Permits

(NWP) 50 NWPs

WQC is now required for all NWP’s

Pre-Construction Notification may be required

Subject to Discretionary Authority

Subject to Corps Mitigation Rule

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Navigating the Review

Process

Joint Permit App

Submittal to State

App Received from

State

Begin Processing Completeness

Determination and

Public Notice

Corps

Individuals

Special Interests

Local Agencies

Federal Agencies

Application

Reviewed

404(b)(1) Guidelines

2008 Mitigation Rule

Public Interest Review

NEPA, ESA, NHPA, EFH

State & Territorial

Certifications

(CZM, WQC)

Application

Approved

Application

Denied

Decision

Document

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Public Interest Review

21 Factors, including: ► Conservation ► Economics ► Wetlands ► Fish And Wildlife Values ► Flood Plain Values & Flood Hazards ► Water Supply And Conservation ► Land Use ► Navigation ► General Environmental Concerns ► Safety ► Historic and Cultural ► Shore Erosion and Accretion

The Corps Issues A Permit Unless The Corps Determines That The Project Is Contrary To The Public Interest

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404(b)(1) Guidelines

Project Purpose ►Sequential Process

• Avoidance

• Minimization

• Compensation

Corps determines least environmentally damaging practicable alternative

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NEPA

National Environmental Policy Act

Ensures consideration of environmental

impacts and alternatives for federal

actions

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

►Environmental Assessments

►Environmental Impact Statements

Categorical Exclusions

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2008 Corps Mitigation Rule

Established a mitigation hierarchy

All mitigation proposals must contain the

12 Objectives e.g., baseline data, site

selection and performance standards

Emphasis on type for type replacement of

aquatic resources

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Section 10 Important Issues

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Act -

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)

Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

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Section 10 Important Issues

Understand sensitive time periods, e.g.

seagrass survey time periods, sea turtle

nesting season, manatee season,

fisheries spawning or migration seasons

and other biologically critical time periods.

Be familiar with construction guidelines

and conditions associated with ESA and

EFH

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Case Studies

Single Family Dock

Section 10 - RGP SAJ-20

No PN and programmatic concurrence for

ESA

Project plans, adherence to Manatee

Construction Conditions and requirement

for As-Builts

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Case Studies

Mangrove Restoration

Jurisdiction: Section 10 and 404

Permit verified as a NWP 27

10 acres of tidal mangrove wetlands

restoration through plantings and mosquito

ditch blocks with fill

Corps review: PI, NEPA, ESA, EFH,

NHPA, and WQC/CZM

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Case Studies

Multi-slip Marina

Section 10, LOP

LOP Coordination Letter required

PI, ESA, EFH, NHPA, WQC/CZM

Exceeds dock density threshold?

Recommended for Denial

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Case Studies

Channel Dredging

Section 10, IP

PN Required

PI, NEPA, EFH, ESA, NHPA, WQC/CZM

Unavoidable impact of 0.01 acre seagrass,

requires type for type mitigation

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Expedite Permit Review: Prepare Complete Applications

Most common insufficiencies which

extend permit review timeframes:

► No latitude and longitude

► Oversized drawings (11x17)

► Color drawings which are not reproducible

► Adjacent property owners list not included

► Endangered species surveys, cultural resources

► Impacted vegetation description

► Inadequate information for commenting agencies

► Lack of avoidance and minimization statements

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Recommendations

►All drawings on 8½ X 11 paper, use match lines if needed

►Clear plan view and cross section

►Use a different cross hatch for dredge and fill

►List of adjacent property owners, only those abutting impact areas and interested parties

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Recommendations

► Pre- and post-development site table with impacts

► Avoidance and minimization narrative

(project purpose, alternative alignment

analysis, minimization strategies, Quality

Enhancement Strategies)

► Mitigation plan consistent with 2008 Mitigation

Rule - include UMAM analysis or other functional

assessment

► Multiple copies of submittal for large scale

projects

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Regulatory Program

Sourcebook:

www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Regulatory/sourcebook.htm

THANK YOU!