(a) General. The processing procedures of this part apply to any Department of the Army (DA) permit. Special procedures and additional information are contained in 33 CFR parts 320 through 324, 327 and part 330. This part is arranged in the basic timing sequence used by the Corps of Engineers in processing applications for DA permits.

(b) Pre-application consultation for major applications. The district staff element having responsibility for administering, processing, and enforcing federal laws and regulations relating to the Corps of Engineers regulatory program shall be available to advise potential applicants of studies or other information foreseeably required for later federal action. The district engineer will establish local procedures and policies including appropriate publicity programs which will allow potential applicants to contact the district engineer or the regulatory staff element to request pre-application consultation. Upon receipt of such request, the district engineer will assure the conduct of an orderly process which may involve other staff elements and affected agencies (Federal, state, or local) and the public. This early process should be brief but thorough so that the potential applicant may begin to assess the viability of some of the more obvious potential alternatives in the application. The district engineer will endeavor, at this stage, to provide the potential applicant with all helpful information necessary in pursuing the application, including factors which the Corps must consider in its permit decision making process. Whenever the district engineer becomes aware of planning for work which may require a DA permit and which may involve the preparation of an environmental document, he shall contact the principals involved to advise them of the requirement for the permit(s) and the attendant public interest review including the development of an environmental document. Whenever a potential applicant indicates the intent to submit an application for work which may require the preparation of an environmental document, a single point of contact shall be designated within the district's regulatory staff to effectively coordinate the regulatory process, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures and all attendant reviews, meetings, hearings, and other actions, including the scoping process if appropriate, leading to a decision by the district engineer. Effort devoted to this process should be commensurate with the likelihood of a permit application actually being submitted to the Corps. The regulatory staff coordinator shall maintain an open relationship with each potential applicant or his consultants so as to assure that the potential applicant is fully aware of the substance (both quantitative and qualitative) of the data required by the district engineer for use in preparing an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement (EIS) in accordance with 33 CFR part 230, Appendix B.

(c) Application form. Applicants for all individual DA permits must use the standard application form (ENG Form 4345, OMB Approval No. OMB 49-R0420). Local variations of the application form for purposes of facilitating coordination with federal, state and local agencies may be used. The appropriate form may be obtained from the district office having jurisdiction over the waters in which the activity is proposed to be located. Certain activities have been authorized by general permits and do not require submission of an application form but may require a separate notification.

(d) Content of application. (1) The application must include a complete description of the proposed activity including necessary drawings, sketches, or plans sufficient for public notice (detailed engineering plans and specifications are not required); the location, purpose and need for the proposed activity; scheduling of the activity; the names and addresses of adjoining property owners; the location and dimensions of adjacent structures; and a list of authorizations required by other federal, interstate, state, or local agencies for the work, including all approvals received or denials already made. See § 325.3 for information required to be in public notices. District and division engineers are not authorized to develop additional information forms but may request specific information on a case-by-case basis. (See § 325.1(e)).

(2) All activities which the applicant plans to undertake which are reasonably related to the same project and for which a DA permit would be required should be included in the same permit application. District engineers should reject, as incomplete, any permit application which fails to comply with this requirement. For example, a permit application for a marina will include dredging required for access as well as any fill associated with construction of the marina.

(3) If the activity would involve dredging in navigable waters of the United States, the application must include a description of the type, composition and quantity of the material to be dredged, the method of dredging, and the site and plans for disposal of the dredged material.

(4) If the activity would include the discharge of dredged or fill material into the waters of the United States or the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of disposing of it in ocean waters the application must include the source of the material; the purpose of the discharge, a description of the type, composition and quantity of the material; the method of transportation and disposal of the material; and the location of the disposal site. Certification under section 401 of the Clean Water Act is required for such discharges into waters of the United States.

(5) If the activity would include the construction of a filled area or pile or float-supported platform the project description must include the use of, and specific structures to be erected on, the fill or platform.

(6) If the activity would involve the construction of an impoundment structure, the applicant may be required to demonstrate that the structure complies with established state dam safety criteria or that the structure has been designed by qualified persons and, in appropriate cases, independently reviewed (and modified as the review would indicate) by similarly qualified persons. No specific design criteria are to be prescribed nor is an independent detailed engineering review to be made by the district engineer.

(7) For activities involving discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, the application must include a statement describing how impacts to waters of the United States are to be avoided and minimized. The application must also include either a statement describing how impacts to waters of the United States are to be compensated for or a statement explaining why compensatory mitigation should not be required for the proposed impacts. (See § 332.4(b)(1) of this chapter.)

(8) Signature on application. The application must be signed by the person who desires to undertake the proposed activity (i.e., the applicant) or by a duly authorized agent. When the applicant is represented by an agent, that information will be included in the space provided on the application or by a separate written statement. The signature of the applicant or the agent will be an affirmation that the applicant possesses or will possess the requisite property interest to undertake the activity proposed in the application, except where the lands are under the control of the Corps of Engineers, in which cases the district engineer will coordinate the transfer of the real estate and the permit action. An application may include the activity of more than one owner provided the character of the activity of each owner is similar and in the same general area and each owner submits a statement designating the same agent.

(9) If the activity would involve the construction or placement of an artificial reef, as defined in 33 CFR 322.2(g), in the navigable waters of the United States or in the waters overlying the outer continental shelf, the application must include provisions for siting, constructing, monitoring, and managing the artificial reef.

(10) Complete application. An application will be determined to be complete when sufficient information is received to issue a public notice (See 33 CFR 325.1(d) and 325.3(a).) The issuance of a public notice will not be delayed to obtain information necessary to evaluate an application.

(e) Additional information. In addition to the information indicated in paragraph (d) of this section, the applicant will be required to furnish only such additional information as the district engineer deems essential to make a public interest determination including, where applicable, a determination of compliance with the section 404(b)(1) guidelines or ocean dumping criteria. Such additional information may include environmental data and information on alternate methods and sites as may be necessary for the preparation of the required environmental documentation.

(f) Fees. Fees are required for permits under section 404 of the Clean Water Act, section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended, and sections 9 and 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. A fee of $100.00 will be charged when the planned or ultimate purpose of the project is commercial or industrial in nature and is in support of operations that charge for the production, distribution or sale of goods or services. A $10.00 fee will be charged for permit applications when the proposed work is non-commercial in nature and would provide personal benefits that have no connection with a commercial enterprise. The final decision as to the basis for a fee (commercial vs. non-commercial) shall be solely the responsibility of the district engineer. No fee will be charged if the applicant withdraws the application at any time prior to issuance of the permit or if the permit is denied. Collection of the fee will be deferred until the proposed activity has been determined to be not contrary to the public interest. Multiple fees are not to be charged if more than one law is applicable. Any modification significant enough to require publication of a public notice will also require a fee. No fee will be assessed when a permit is transferred from one property owner to another. No fees will be charged for time extensions, general permits or letters of permission. Agencies or instrumentalities of federal, state or local governments will not be required to pay any fee in connection with permits.

(a) Standard procedures. (1) When an application for a permit is received the district engineer shall immediately assign it a number for identification, acknowledge receipt thereof, and advise the applicant of the number assigned to it. He shall review the application for completeness, and if the application is incomplete, request from the applicant within 15 days of receipt of the application any additional information necessary for further processing.

(2) Within 15 days of receipt of an application the district engineer will either determine that the application is complete (see 33 CFR 325.1(d)(9) and issue a public notice as described in § 325.3 of this part, unless specifically exempted by other provisions of this regulation or that it is incomplete and notify the applicant of the information necessary for a complete application. The district engineer will issue a supplemental, revised, or corrected public notice if in his view there is a change in the application data that would affect the public's review of the proposal.

(3) The district engineer will consider all comments received in response to the public notice in his subsequent actions on the permit application. Receipt of the comments will be acknowledged, if appropriate, and they will be made a part of the administrative record of the application. Comments received as form letters or petitions may be acknowledged as a group to the person or organization responsible for the form letter or petition. If comments relate to matters within the special expertise of another federal agency, the district engineer may seek the advice of that agency. If the district engineer determines, based on comments received, that he must have the views of the applicant on a particular issue to make a public interest determination, the applicant will be given the opportunity to furnish his views on such issue to the district engineer (see § 325.2(d)(5)). At the earliest practicable time other substantive comments will be furnished to the applicant for his information and any views he may wish to offer. A summary of the comments, the actual letters or portions thereof, or representative comment letters may be furnished to the applicant. The applicant may voluntarily elect to contact objectors in an attempt to resolve objections but will not be required to do so. District engineers will ensure that all parties are informed that the Corps alone is responsible for reaching a decision on the merits of any application. The district engineer may also offer Corps regulatory staff to be present at meetings between applicants and objectors, where appropriate, to provide information on the process, to mediate differences, or to gather information to aid in the decision process. The district engineer should not delay processing of the application unless the applicant requests a reasonable delay, normally not to exceed 30 days, to provide additional information or comments.

(4) The district engineer will follow Appendix B of 33 CFR part 230 for environmental procedures and documentation required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. A decision on a permit application will require either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement unless it is included within a categorical exclusion.

(5) The district engineer will also evaluate the application to determine the need for a public hearing pursuant to 33 CFR part 327.

(6) After all above actions have been completed, the district engineer will determine in accordance with the record and applicable regulations whether or not the permit should be issued. He shall prepare a statement of findings (SOF) or, where an EIS has been prepared, a record of decision (ROD), on all permit decisions. The SOF or ROD shall include the district engineer's views on the probable effect of the proposed work on the public interest including conformity with the guidelines published for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States (40 CFR part 230) or with the criteria for dumping of dredged material in ocean waters (40 CFR parts 220 to 229), if applicable, and the conclusions of the district engineer. The SOF or ROD shall be dated, signed, and included in the record prior to final action on the application. Where the district engineer has delegated authority to sign permits for and in his behalf, he may similarly delegate the signing of the SOF or ROD. If a district engineer makes a decision on a permit application which is contrary to state or local decisions (33 CFR 320.4(j) (2) & (4)), the district engineer will include in the decision document the significant national issues and explain how they are overriding in importance. If a permit is warranted, the district engineer will determine the special conditions, if any, and duration which should be incorporated into the permit. In accordance with the authorities specified in § 325.8 of this part, the district engineer will take final action or forward the application with all pertinent comments, records, and studies, including the final EIS or environmental assessment, through channels to the official authorized to make the final decision. The report forwarding the application for decision will be in a format prescribed by the Chief of Engineers. District and division engineers will notify the applicant and interested federal and state agencies that the application has been forwarded to higher headquarters. The district or division engineer may, at his option, disclose his recommendation to the news media and other interested parties, with the caution that it is only a recommendation and not a final decision. Such disclosure is encouraged in permit cases which have become controversial and have been the subject of stories in the media or have generated strong public interest. In those cases where the application is forwarded for decision in the format prescribed by the Chief of Engineers, the report will serve as the SOF or ROD. District engineers will generally combine the SOF, environmental assessment, and findings of no significant impact (FONSI), 404(b)(1) guideline analysis, and/or the criteria for dumping of dredged material in ocean waters into a single document.

(7) If the final decision is to deny the permit, the applicant will be advised in writing of the reason(s) for denial. If the final decision is to issue the permit and a standard individual permit form will be used, the issuing official will forward the permit to the applicant for signature accepting the conditions of the permit. The permit is not valid until signed by the issuing official. Letters of permission require only the signature of the issuing official. Final action on the permit application is the signature on the letter notifying the applicant of the denial of the permit or signature of the issuing official on the authorizing document.

(8) The district engineer will publish monthly a list of permits issued or denied during the previous month. The list will identify each action by public notice number, name of applicant, and brief description of activity involved. It will also note that relevant environmental documents and the SOF's or ROD's are available upon written request and, where applicable, upon the payment of administrative fees. This list will be distributed to all persons who may have an interest in any of the public notices listed.

(9) Copies of permits will be furnished to other agencies in appropriate cases as follows:

(i) If the activity involves the construction of artificial islands, installations or other devices on the outer continental shelf, to the Director, Defense Mapping Agency, Hydrographic Center, Washington, DC 20390 Attention, Code NS12, and to the National Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey, N/CS261, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3282.

(ii) If the activity involves the construction of structures to enhance fish propagation (e.g., fishing reefs) along the coasts of the United States, to the Defense Mapping Agency, Hydrographic Center and National Ocean Service as in paragraph (a)(9)(i) of this section and to the Director, Office of Marine Recreational Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, DC 20235.

(iii) If the activity involves the erection of an aerial transmission line, submerged cable, or submerged pipeline across a navigable water of the United States, to the National Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey, N/CS261, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3282.

(iv) If the activity is listed in paragraphs (a)(9) (i), (ii), or (iii) of this section, or involves the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of dumping it in ocean waters, to the appropriate District Commander, U.S. Coast Guard.

(b) Procedures for particular types of permit situations—(1) Section 401 Water Quality Certification. If the district engineer determines that water quality certification for the proposed activity is necessary under the provisions of section 401 of the Clean Water Act, he shall so notify the applicant and obtain from him or the certifying agency a copy of such certification.

(i) The public notice for such activity, which will contain a statement on certification requirements (see § 325.3(a)(8)), will serve as the notification to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to section 401(a)(2) of the Clean Water Act. If EPA determines that the proposed discharge may affect the quality of the waters of any state other than the state in which the discharge will originate, it will so notify such other state, the district engineer, and the applicant. If such notice or a request for supplemental information is not received within 30 days of issuance of the public notice, the district engineer will assume EPA has made a negative determination with respect to section 401(a)(2). If EPA determines another state's waters may be affected, such state has 60 days from receipt of EPA's notice to determine if the proposed discharge will affect the quality of its waters so as to violate any water quality requirement in such state, to notify EPA and the district engineer in writing of its objection to permit issuance, and to request a public hearing. If such occurs, the district engineer will hold a public hearing in the objecting state. Except as stated below, the hearing will be conducted in accordance with 33 CFR part 327. The issues to be considered at the public hearing will be limited to water quality impacts. EPA will submit its evaluation and recommendations at the hearing with respect to the state's objection to permit issuance. Based upon the recommendations of the objecting state, EPA, and any additional evidence presented at the hearing, the district engineer will condition the permit, if issued, in such a manner as may be necessary to insure compliance with applicable water quality requirements. If the imposition of conditions cannot, in the district engineer's opinion, insure such compliance, he will deny the permit.

(ii) No permit will be granted until required certification has been obtained or has been waived. A waiver may be explicit, or will be deemed to occur if the certifying agency fails or refuses to act on a request for certification within sixty days after receipt of such a request unless the district engineer determines a shorter or longer period is reasonable for the state to act. In determining whether or not a waiver period has commenced or waiver has occurred, the district engineer will verify that the certifying agency has received a valid request for certification. If, however, special circumstances identified by the district engineer require that action on an application be taken within a more limited period of time, the district engineer shall determine a reasonable lesser period of time, advise the certifying agency of the need for action by a particular date, and that, if certification is not received by that date, it will be considered that the requirement for certification has been waived. Similarly, if it appears that circumstances may reasonably require a period of time longer than sixty days, the district engineer, based on information provided by the certifying agency, will determine a longer reasonable period of time, not to exceed one year, at which time a waiver will be deemed to occur.

(2) Coastal Zone Management consistency. If the proposed activity is to be undertaken in a state operating under a coastal zone management program approved by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Act (see 33 CFR 320.3(b)), the district engineer shall proceed as follows:

(i) If the applicant is a federal agency, and the application involves a federal activity in or affecting the coastal zone, the district engineer shall forward a copy of the public notice to the agency of the state responsible for reviewing the consistency of federal activities. The federal agency applicant shall be responsible for complying with the CZM Act's directive for ensuring that federal agency activities are undertaken in a manner which is consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with approved CZM Programs. (See 15 CFR part 930.) If the state coastal zone agency objects to the proposed federal activity on the basis of its inconsistency with the state's approved CZM Program, the district engineer shall not make a final decision on the application until the disagreeing parties have had an opportunity to utilize the procedures specified by the CZM Act for resolving such disagreements.

(ii) If the applicant is not a federal agency and the application involves an activity affecting the coastal zone, the district engineer shall obtain from the applicant a certification that his proposed activity complies with and will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the approved state CZM Program. Upon receipt of the certification, the district engineer will forward a copy of the public notice (which will include the applicant's certification statement) to the state coastal zone agency and request its concurrence or objection. If the state agency objects to the certification or issues a decision indicating that the proposed activity requires further review, the district engineer shall not issue the permit until the state concurs with the certification statement or the Secretary of Commerce determines that the proposed activity is consistent with the purposes of the CZM Act or is necessary in the interest of national security. If the state agency fails to concur or object to a certification statement within six months of the state agency's receipt of the certification statement, state agency concurrence with the certification statement shall be conclusively presumed. District engineers will seek agreements with state CZM agencies that the agency's failure to provide comments during the public notice comment period will be considered as a concurrence with the certification or waiver of the right to concur or non-concur.

(iii) If the applicant is requesting a permit for work on Indian reservation lands which are in the coastal zone, the district engineer shall treat the application in the same manner as prescribed for a Federal applicant in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section. However, if the applicant is requesting a permit on non-trust Indian lands, and the state CZM agency has decided to assert jurisdiction over such lands, the district engineer shall treat the application in the same manner as prescribed for a non-Federal applicant in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section.

(3) Historic properties. If the proposed activity would involve any property listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, the district engineer will proceed in accordance with Corps National Historic Preservation Act implementing regulations.

(4) Activities associated with Federal projects. If the proposed activity would consist of the dredging of an access channel and/or berthing facility associated with an authorized federal navigation project, the activity will be included in the planning and coordination of the construction or maintenance of the federal project to the maximum extent feasible. Separate notice, hearing, and environmental documentation will not be required for activities so included and coordinated, and the public notice issued by the district engineer for these federal and associated non-federal activities will be the notice of intent to issue permits for those included non-federal dredging activities. The decision whether to issue or deny such a permit will be consistent with the decision on the federal project unless special considerations applicable to the proposed activity are identified. (See § 322.5(c).)

(5) Endangered Species. Applications will be reviewed for the potential impact on threatened or endangered species pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act as amended. The district engineer will include a statement in the public notice of his current knowledge of endangered species based on his initial review of the application (see 33 CFR 325.2(a)(2)). If the district engineer determines that the proposed activity would not affect listed species or their critical habitat, he will include a statement to this effect in the public notice. If he finds the proposed activity may affect an endangered or threatened species or their critical habitat, he will initiate formal consultation procedures with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service. Public notices forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service will serve as the request for information on whether any listed or proposed to be listed endangered or threatened species may be present in the area which would be affected by the proposed activity, pursuant to section 7(c) of the Act. References, definitions, and consultation procedures are found in 50 CFR part 402.

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Timing of processing of applications. The district engineer will be guided by the following time limits for the indicated steps in the evaluation process:

(1) The public notice will be issued within 15 days of receipt of all information required to be submitted by the applicant in accordance with paragraph 325.1.(d) of this part.

(2) The comment period on the public notice should be for a reasonable period of time within which interested parties may express their views concerning the permit. The comment period should not be more than 30 days nor less than 15 days from the date of the notice. Before designating comment periods less than 30 days, the district engineer will consider: (i) Whether the proposal is routine or noncontroversial,

(ii) Mail time and need for comments from remote areas,

(iii) Comments from similar proposals, and

(iv) The need for a site visit. After considering the length of the original comment period, paragraphs (a)(2) (i) through (iv) of this section, and other pertinent factors, the district engineer may extend the comment period up to an additional 30 days if warranted.

(3) District engineers will decide on all applications not later than 60 days after receipt of a complete application, unless (i) precluded as a matter of law or procedures required by law (see below),

(ii) The case must be referred to higher authority (see § 325.8 of this part),

(iii) The comment period is extended,

(iv) A timely submittal of information or comments is not received from the applicant,

(v) The processing is suspended at the request of the applicant, or

(vi) Information needed by the district engineer for a decision on the application cannot reasonably be obtained within the 60-day period. Once the cause for preventing the decision from being made within the normal 60-day period has been satisfied or eliminated, the 60-day clock will start running again from where it was suspended. For example, if the comment period is extended by 30 days, the district engineer will, absent other restraints, decide on the application within 90 days of receipt of a complete application. Certain laws (e.g., the Clean Water Act, the CZM Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Preservation of Historical and Archeological Data Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act) require procedures such as state or other federal agency certifications, public hearings, environmental impact statements, consultation, special studies, and testing which may prevent district engineers from being able to decide certain applications within 60 days.

(4) Once the district engineer has sufficient information to make his public interest determination, he should decide the permit application even though other agencies which may have regulatory jurisdiction have not yet granted their authorizations, except where such authorizations are, by federal law, a prerequisite to making a decision on the DA permit application. Permits granted prior to other (non-prerequisite) authorizations by other agencies should, where appropriate, be conditioned in such manner as to give those other authorities an opportunity to undertake their review without the applicant biasing such review by making substantial resource commitments on the basis of the DA permit. In unusual cases the district engineer may decide that due to the nature or scope of a specific proposal, it would be prudent to defer taking final action until another agency has acted on its authorization. In such cases, he may advise the other agency of his position on the DA permit while deferring his final decision.

(5) The applicant will be given a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days, to respond to requests of the district engineer. The district engineer may make such requests by certified letter and clearly inform the applicant that if he does not respond with the requested information or a justification why additional time is necessary, then his application will be considered withdrawn or a final decision will be made, whichever is appropriate. If additional time is requested, the district engineer will either grant the time, make a final decision, or consider the application as withdrawn.

(6) The time requirements in these regulations are in terms of calendar days rather than in terms of working days.

(e) Alternative procedures. Division and district engineers are authorized to use alternative procedures as follows:

(1) Letters of permission. Letters of permission are a type of permit issued through an abbreviated processing procedure which includes coordination with Federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, as required by the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and a public interest evaluation, but without the publishing of an individual public notice. The letter of permission will not be used to authorize the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of dumping it in ocean waters. Letters of permission may be used:

(i) In those cases subject to section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 when, in the opinion of the district engineer, the proposed work would be minor, would not have significant individual or cumulative impacts on environmental values, and should encounter no appreciable opposition.

(ii) In those cases subject to section 404 of the Clean Water Act after:

(A) The district engineer, through consultation with Federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, the Regional Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, the state water quality certifying agency, and, if appropriate, the state Coastal Zone Management Agency, develops a list of categories of activities proposed for authorization under LOP procedures;

(B) The district engineer issues a public notice advertising the proposed list and the LOP procedures, requesting comments and offering an opportunity for public hearing; and

(C) A 401 certification has been issued or waived and, if appropriate, CZM consistency concurrence obtained or presumed either on a generic or individual basis.

(2) Regional permits. Regional permits are a type of general permit as defined in 33 CFR 322.2(f) and 33 CFR 323.2(n). They may be issued by a division or district engineer after compliance with the other procedures of this regulation. After a regional permit has been issued, individual activities falling within those categories that are authorized by such regional permits do not have to be further authorized by the procedures of this regulation. The issuing authority will determine and add appropriate conditions to protect the public interest. When the issuing authority determines on a case-by-case basis that the concerns for the aquatic environment so indicate, he may exercise discretionary authority to override the regional permit and require an individual application and review. A regional permit may be revoked by the issuing authority if it is determined that it is contrary to the public interest provided the procedures of § 325.7 of this part are followed. Following revocation, applications for future activities in areas covered by the regional permit shall be processed as applications for individual permits. No regional permit shall be issued for a period of more than five years.

(3) Joint procedures. Division and district engineers are authorized and encouraged to develop joint procedures with states and other Federal agencies with ongoing permit programs for activities also regulated by the Department of the Army. Such procedures may be substituted for the procedures in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section provided that the substantive requirements of those sections are maintained. Division and district engineers are also encouraged to develop management techniques such as joint agency review meetings to expedite the decision-making process. However, in doing so, the applicant's rights to a full public interest review and independent decision by the district or division engineer must be strictly observed.

(4) Emergency procedures. Division engineers are authorized to approve special processing procedures in emergency situations. An “emergency” is a situation which would result in an unacceptable hazard to life, a significant loss of property, or an immediate, unforeseen, and significant economic hardship if corrective action requiring a permit is not undertaken within a time period less than the normal time needed to process the application under standard procedures. In emergency situations, the district engineer will explain the circumstances and recommend special procedures to the division engineer who will instruct the district engineer as to further processing of the application. Even in an emergency situation, reasonable efforts will be made to receive comments from interested Federal, state, and local agencies and the affected public. Also, notice of any special procedures authorized and their rationale is to be appropriately published as soon as practicable.

(a) General. The public notice is the primary method of advising all interested parties of the proposed activity for which a permit is sought and of soliciting comments and information necessary to evaluate the probable impact on the public interest. The notice must, therefore, include sufficient information to give a clear understanding of the nature and magnitude of the activity to generate meaningful comment. The notice should include the following items of information:

(1) Applicable statutory authority or authorities;

(2) The name and address of the applicant;

(3) The name or title, address and telephone number of the Corps employee from whom additional information concerning the application may be obtained;

(4) The location of the proposed activity;

(5) A brief description of the proposed activity, its purpose and intended use, so as to provide sufficient information concerning the nature of the activity to generate meaningful comments, including a description of the type of structures, if any, to be erected on fills or pile or float-supported platforms, and a description of the type, composition, and quantity of materials to be discharged or disposed of in the ocean;

(6) A plan and elevation drawing showing the general and specific site location and character of all proposed activities, including the size relationship of the proposed structures to the size of the impacted waterway and depth of water in the area;

(7) If the proposed activity would occur in the territorial seas or ocean waters, a description of the activity's relationship to the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured;

(8) A list of other government authorizations obtained or requested by the applicant, including required certifications relative to water quality, coastal zone management, or marine sanctuaries;

(9) If appropriate, a statement that the activity is a categorical exclusion for purposes of NEPA (see paragraph 7 of Appendix B to 33 CFR part 230);

(10) A statement of the district engineer's current knowledge on historic properties;

(11) A statement of the district engineer's current knowledge on endangered species (see § 325.2(b)(5));

(12) A statement(s) on evaluation factors (see § 325.3(c));

(13) Any other available information which may assist interested parties in evaluating the likely impact of the proposed activity, if any, on factors affecting the public interest;

(14) The comment period based on § 325.2(d)(2);

(15) A statement that any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in the notice, that a public hearing be held to consider the application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing;

(16) For non-federal applications in states with an approved CZM Plan, a statement on compliance with the approved Plan; and

(17) In addition, for section 103 (ocean dumping) activities:

(i) The specific location of the proposed disposal site and its physical boundaries;

(ii) A statement as to whether the proposed disposal site has been designated for use by the Administrator, EPA, pursuant to section 102(c) of the Act;

(iii) If the proposed disposal site has not been designated by the Administrator, EPA, a description of the characteristics of the proposed disposal site and an explanation as to why no previously designated disposal site is feasible;

(iv) A brief description of known dredged material discharges at the proposed disposal site;

(v) Existence and documented effects of other authorized disposals that have been made in the disposal area (e.g., heavy metal background reading and organic carbon content);

(vi) An estimate of the length of time during which disposal would continue at the proposed site; and

(vii) Information on the characteristics and composition of the dredged material.

(b) Public notice for general permits. District engineers will publish a public notice for all proposed regional general permits and for significant modifications to, or reissuance of, existing regional permits within their area of jurisdiction. Public notices for statewide regional permits may be issued jointly by the affected Corps districts. The notice will include all applicable information necessary to provide a clear understanding of the proposal. In addition, the notice will state the availability of information at the district office which reveals the Corps' provisional determination that the proposed activities comply with the requirements for issuance of general permits. District engineers will publish a public notice for nationwide permits in accordance with 33 CFR 330.4.

(c) Evaluation factors. A paragraph describing the various evaluation factors on which decisions are based shall be included in every public notice.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the following will be included:

(2) If the activity would involve the discharge of dredged or fill material into the waters of the United States or the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of disposing of it in ocean waters, the public notice shall also indicate that the evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, EPA, (40 CFR part 230) or of the criteria established under authority of section 102(a) of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended (40 CFR parts 220 to 229), as appropriate. (See 33 CFR parts 323 and 324).

(3) In cases involving construction of artificial islands, installations and other devices on outer continental shelf lands which are under mineral lease from the Department of the Interior, the notice will contain the following statement: “The decision as to whether a permit will be issued will be based on an evaluation of the impact of the proposed work on navigation and national security.”

(d) Distribution of public notices. (1) Public notices will be distributed for posting in post offices or other appropriate public places in the vicinity of the site of the proposed work and will be sent to the applicant, to appropriate city and county officials, to adjoining property owners, to appropriate state agencies, to appropriate Indian Tribes or tribal representatives, to concerned Federal agencies, to local, regional and national shipping and other concerned business and conservation organizations, to appropriate River Basin Commissions, to appropriate state and areawide clearing houses as prescribed by OMB Circular A-95, to local news media and to any other interested party. Copies of public notices will be sent to all parties who have specifically requested copies of public notices, to the U.S. Senators and Representatives for the area where the work is to be performed, the field representative of the Secretary of the Interior, the Regional Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Regional Director of the National Park Service, the Regional Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Regional Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the head of the state agency responsible for fish and wildlife resources, the State Historic Preservation Officer, and the District Commander, U.S. Coast Guard.

(2) In addition to the general distribution of public notices cited above, notices will be sent to other addressees in appropriate cases as follows:

(i) If the activity would involve structures or dredging along the shores of the seas or Great Lakes, to the Coastal Engineering Research Center, Washington, DC 20016.

(ii) If the activity would involve construction of fixed structures or artificial islands on the outer continental shelf or in the territorial seas, to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Installations, and Logistics (ASD(MI&L)), Washington, DC 20310; the Director, Defense Mapping Agency (Hydrographic Center) Washington, DC 20390, Attention, Code NS12; and the National Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey, N/CS261, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3282, and to affected military installations and activities.

(iii) If the activity involves the construction of structures to enhance fish propagation (e.g., fishing reefs) along the coasts of the United States, to the Director, Office of Marine Recreational Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, DC 20235.

(iv) If the activity involves the construction of structures which may affect aircraft operations or for purposes associated with seaplane operations, to the Regional Director of the Federal Aviation Administration.

(v) If the activity would be in connection with a foreign-trade zone, to the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230 and to the appropriate District Director of Customs as Resident Representative, Foreign-Trade Zones Board.

(3) It is presumed that all interested parties and agencies will wish to respond to public notices; therefore, a lack of response will be interpreted as meaning that there is no objection to the proposed project. A copy of the public notice with the list of the addresses to whom the notice was sent will be included in the record. If a question develops with respect to an activity for which another agency has responsibility and that other agency has not responded to the public notice, the district engineer may request its comments. Whenever a response to a public notice has been received from a member of Congress, either in behalf of a constituent or himself, the district engineer will inform the member of Congress of the final decision.

(4) District engineers will update public notice mailing lists at least once every two years.

(a) District engineers will add special conditions to Department of the Army permits when such conditions are necessary to satisfy legal requirements or to otherwise satisfy the public interest requirement. Permit conditions will be directly related to the impacts of the proposal, appropriate to the scope and degree of those impacts, and reasonably enforceable.

(1) Legal requirements which may be satisfied by means of Corps permit conditions include compliance with the 404(b)(1) guidelines, the EPA ocean dumping criteria, the Endangered Species Act, and requirements imposed by conditions on state section 401 water quality certifications.

(2) Where appropriate, the district engineer may take into account the existence of controls imposed under other federal, state, or local programs which would achieve the objective of the desired condition, or the existence of an enforceable agreement between the applicant and another party concerned with the resource in question, in determining whether a proposal complies with the 404(b)(1) guidelines, ocean dumping criteria, and other applicable statutes, and is not contrary to the public interest. In such cases, the Department of the Army permit will be conditioned to state that material changes in, or a failure to implement and enforce such program or agreement, will be grounds for modifying, suspending, or revoking the permit.

(3) Such conditions may be accomplished on-site, or may be accomplished off-site for mitigation of significant losses which are specifically identifiable, reasonably likely to occur, and of importance to the human or aquatic environment.

(b) District engineers are authorized to add special conditions, exclusive of paragraph (a) of this section, at the applicant's request or to clarify the permit application.

(c) If the district engineer determines that special conditions are necessary to insure the proposal will not be contrary to the public interest, but those conditions would not be reasonably implementable or enforceable, he will deny the permit.

(d) Bonds. If the district engineer has reason to consider that the permittee might be prevented from completing work which is necessary to protect the public interest, he may require the permittee to post a bond of sufficient amount to indemnify the government against any loss as a result of corrective action it might take.

(a) General discussion. (1) DA permits under this regulation will be in the form of individual permits or general permits. The basic format shall be ENG Form 1721, DA Permit (Appendix A).

(2) The general conditions included in ENG Form 1721 are normally applicable to all permits; however, some conditions may not apply to certain permits and may be deleted by the issuing officer. Special conditions applicable to the specific activity will be included in the permit as necessary to protect the public interest in accordance with § 325.4 of this part.

(b) Individual permits—(1) Standard permits. A standard permit is one which has been processed through the public interest review procedures, including public notice and receipt of comments, described throughout this part. The standard individual permit shall be issued using ENG Form 1721.

(2) Letters of permission. A letter of permission will be issued where procedures of § 325.2(e)(1) have been followed. It will be in letter form and will identify the permittee, the authorized work and location of the work, the statutory authority, any limitations on the work, a construction time limit and a requirement for a report of completed work. A copy of the relevant general conditions from ENG Form 1721 will be attached and will be incorporated by reference into the letter of permission.

(c) General permits—(1) Regional permits. Regional permits are a type of general permit. They may be issued by a division or district engineer after compliance with the other procedures of this regulation. If the public interest so requires, the issuing authority may condition the regional permit to require a case-by-case reporting and acknowledgment system. However, no separate applications or other authorization documents will be required.

(2) Nationwide permits. Nationwide permits are a type of general permit and represent DA authorizations that have been issued by the regulation (33 CFR part 330) for certain specified activities nationwide. If certain conditions are met, the specified activities can take place without the need for an individual or regional permit.

(3) Programmatic permits. Programmatic permits are a type of general permit founded on an existing state, local or other Federal agency program and designed to avoid duplication with that program.

(d) Section 9 permits. Permits for structures in interstate navigable waters of the United States under section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 will be drafted at DA level.

(a) General. DA permits may authorize both the work and the resulting use. Permits continue in effect until they automatically expire or are modified, suspended, or revoked.

(b) Structures. Permits for the existence of a structure or other activity of a permanent nature are usually for an indefinite duration with no expiration date cited. However, where a temporary structure is authorized, or where restoration of a waterway is contemplated, the permit will be of limited duration with a definite expiration date.

(c) Works. Permits for construction work, discharge of dredged or fill material, or other activity and any construction period for a structure with a permit of indefinite duration under paragraph (b) of this section will specify time limits for completing the work or activity. The permit may also specify a date by which the work must be started, normally within one year from the date of issuance. The date will be established by the issuing official and will provide reasonable times based on the scope and nature of the work involved. Permits issued for the transport of dredged material for the purpose of disposing of it in ocean waters will specify a completion date for the disposal not to exceed three years from the date of permit issuance.

(d) Extensions of time. An authorization or construction period will automatically expire if the permittee fails to request and receive an extension of time. Extensions of time may be granted by the district engineer. The permittee must request the extension and explain the basis of the request, which will be granted unless the district engineer determines that an extension would be contrary to the public interest. Requests for extensions will be processed in accordance with the regular procedures of § 325.2 of this part, including issuance of a public notice, except that such processing is not required where the district engineer determines that there have been no significant changes in the attendant circumstances since the authorization was issued.

(e) Maintenance dredging. If the authorized work includes periodic maintenance dredging, an expiration date for the authorization of that maintenance dredging will be included in the permit. The expiration date, which in no event is to exceed ten years from the date of issuance of the permit, will be established by the issuing official after evaluation of the proposed method of dredging and disposal of the dredged material in accordance with the requirements of 33 CFR parts 320 to 325. In such cases, the district engineer shall require notification of the maintenance dredging prior to actual performance to insure continued compliance with the requirements of this regulation and 33 CFR parts 320 to 324. If the permittee desires to continue maintenance dredging beyond the expiration date, he must request a new permit. The permittee should be advised to apply for the new permit six months prior to the time he wishes to do the maintenance work.

(a) General. The district engineer may reevaluate the circumstances and conditions of any permit, including regional permits, either on his own motion, at the request of the permittee, or a third party, or as the result of periodic progress inspections, and initiate action to modify, suspend, or revoke a permit as may be made necessary by considerations of the public interest. In the case of regional permits, this reevaluation may cover individual activities, categories of activities, or geographic areas. Among the factors to be considered are the extent of the permittee's compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit; whether or not circumstances relating to the authorized activity have changed since the permit was issued or extended, and the continuing adequacy of or need for the permit conditions; any significant objections to the authorized activity which were not earlier considered; revisions to applicable statutory and/or regulatory authorities; and the extent to which modification, suspension, or other action would adversely affect plans, investments and actions the permittee has reasonably made or taken in reliance on the permit. Significant increases in scope of a permitted activity will be processed as new applications for permits in accordance with § 325.2 of this part, and not as modifications under this section.

(b) Modification. Upon request by the permittee or, as a result of reevaluation of the circumstances and conditions of a permit, the district engineer may determine that the public interest requires a modification of the terms or conditions of the permit. In such cases, the district engineer will hold informal consultations with the permittee to ascertain whether the terms and conditions can be modified by mutual agreement. If a mutual agreement is reached on modification of the terms and conditions of the permit, the district engineer will give the permittee written notice of the modification, which will then become effective on such date as the district engineer may establish. In the event a mutual agreement cannot be reached by the district engineer and the permittee, the district engineer will proceed in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section if immediate suspension is warranted. In cases where immediate suspension is not warranted but the district engineer determines that the permit should be modified, he will notify the permittee of the proposed modification and reasons therefor, and that he may request a meeting with the district engineer and/or a public hearing. The modification will become effective on the date set by the district engineer which shall be at least ten days after receipt of the notice by the permittee unless a hearing or meeting is requested within that period. If the permittee fails or refuses to comply with the modification, the district engineer will proceed in accordance with 33 CFR part 326. The district engineer shall consult with resource agencies before modifying any permit terms or conditions, that would result in greater impacts, for a project about which that agency expressed a significant interest in the term, condition, or feature being modified prior to permit issuance.

(c) Suspension. The district engineer may suspend a permit after preparing a written determination and finding that immediate suspension would be in the public interest. The district engineer will notify the permittee in writing by the most expeditious means available that the permit has been suspended with the reasons therefor, and order the permittee to stop those activities previously authorized by the suspended permit. The permittee will also be advised that following this suspension a decision will be made to either reinstate, modify, or revoke the permit, and that he may within 10 days of receipt of notice of the suspension, request a meeting with the district engineer and/or a public hearing to present information in this matter. If a hearing is requested, the procedures prescribed in 33 CFR part 327 will be followed. After the completion of the meeting or hearing (or within a reasonable period of time after issuance of the notice to the permittee that the permit has been suspended if no hearing or meeting is requested), the district engineer will take action to reinstate, modify, or revoke the permit.

(d) Revocation. Following completion of the suspension procedures in paragraph (c) of this section, if revocation of the permit is found to be in the public interest, the authority who made the decision on the original permit may revoke it. The permittee will be advised in writing of the final decision.

(e) Regional permits. The issuing official may, by following the procedures of this section, revoke regional permits for individual activities, categories of activities, or geographic areas. Where groups of permittees are involved, such as for categories of activities or geographic areas, the informal discussions provided in paragraph (b) of this section may be waived and any written notification may be made through the general public notice procedures of this regulation. If a regional permit is revoked, any permittee may then apply for an individual permit which shall be processed in accordance with these regulations.

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in this regulation, the Secretary of the Army, subject to such conditions as he or his authorized representative may from time to time impose, has authorized the Chief of Engineers and his authorized representatives to issue or deny permits for dams or dikes in intrastate waters of the United States pursuant to section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; for construction or other work in or affecting navigable waters of the United States pursuant to section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States pursuant to section 404 of the Clean Water Act; or for the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of disposing of it into ocean waters pursuant to section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended. The authority to issue or deny permits in interstate navigable waters of the United States pursuant to section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 3, 1899 has not been delegated to the Chief of Engineers or his authorized representatives.

(b) District engineer's authority. District engineers are authorized to issue or deny permits in accordance with these regulations pursuant to sections 9 and 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; section 404 of the Clean Water Act; and section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended, in all cases not required to be referred to higher authority (see below). It is essential to the legality of a permit that it contain the name of the district engineer as the issuing officer. However, the permit need not be signed by the district engineer in person but may be signed for and in behalf of him by whomever he designates. In cases where permits are denied for reasons other than navigation or failure to obtain required local, state, or other federal approvals or certifications, the Statement of Findings must conclusively justify a denial decision. District engineers are authorized to deny permits without issuing a public notice or taking other procedural steps where required local, state, or other federal permits for the proposed activity have been denied or where he determines that the activity will clearly interfere with navigation except in all cases required to be referred to higher authority (see below). District engineers are also authorized to add, modify, or delete special conditions in permits in accordance with § 325.4 of this part, except for those conditions which may have been imposed by higher authority, and to modify, suspend and revoke permits according to the procedures of § 325.7 of this part. District engineers will refer the following applications to the division engineer for resolution:

(1) When a referral is required by a written agreement between the head of a Federal agency and the Secretary of the Army;

(2) When the recommended decision is contrary to the written position of the Governor of the state in which the work would be performed;

(3) When there is substantial doubt as to authority, law, regulations, or policies applicable to the proposed activity;

(4) When higher authority requests the application be forwarded for decision; or

(5) When the district engineer is precluded by law or procedures required by law from taking final action on the application (e.g. section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, or territorial sea baseline changes).

(c) Division engineer's authority. Division engineers will review and evaluate all permit applications referred by district engineers. Division engineers may authorize the issuance or denial of permits pursuant to section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; section 404 of the Clean Water Act; and section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended; and the inclusion of conditions in accordance with § 325.4 of this part in all cases not required to be referred to the Chief of Engineers. Division engineers will refer the following applications to the Chief of Engineers for resolution:

(1) When a referral is required by a written agreement between the head of a Federal agency and the Secretary of the Army;

(2) When there is substantial doubt as to authority, law, regulations, or policies applicable to the proposed activity;

(3) When higher authority requests the application be forwarded for decision; or

(4) When the division engineer is precluded by law or procedures required by law from taking final action on the application.

District engineers are authorized to determine the area defined by the terms “navigable waters of the United States” and “waters of the United States” except:

(a) When a determination of navigability is made pursuant to 33 CFR 329.14 (division engineers have this authority); or

(b) When EPA makes a section 404 jurisdiction determination under its authority.

The district engineer will establish and maintain a program to assure that potential applicants for permits are informed of the requirements of this regulation and of the steps required to obtain permits for activities in waters of the United States or ocean waters. Whenever the district engineer becomes aware of plans being developed by either private or public entities which might require permits for implementation, he should advise the potential applicant in writing of the statutory requirements and the provisions of this regulation. Whenever the district engineer is aware of changes in Corps of Engineers regulatory jurisdiction, he will issue appropriate public notices.

You are authorized to perform work in accordance with the terms and conditions specified below.

Project Description: (Describe the permitted activity and its intended use with references to any attached plans or drawings that are considered to be a part of the project description. Include a description of the types and quantities of dredged or fill materials to be discharged in jurisdictional waters.)

Project Location: (Where appropriate, provide the names of and the locations on the waters where the permitted activity and any off-site disposals will take place. Also, using name, distance, and direction, locate the permitted activity in reference to a nearby landmark such as a town or city.)

Permit Conditions:

General Conditions:

1. The time limit for completing the work authorized ends on ______. If you find that you need more time to complete the authorized activity, submit your request for a time extension to this office for consideration at least one month before the above date is reached.

2. You must maintain the activity authorized by this permit in good condition and in conformance with the terms and conditions of this permit. You are not relieved of this requirement if you abandon the permitted activity, although you may make a good faith transfer to a third party in compliance with General Condition 4 below. Should you wish to cease to maintain the authorized activity or should you desire to abandon it without a good faith transfer, you must obtain a modification of this permit from this office, which may require restoration of the area.

3. If you discover any previously unknown historic or archeological remains while accomplishing the activity authorized by this permit, you must immediately notify this office of what you have found. We will initiate the Federal and state coordination required to determine if the remains warrant a recovery effort or if the site is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

4. If you sell the property associated with this permit, you must obtain the signature of the new owner in the space provided and forward a copy of the permit to this office to validate the transfer of this authorization.

5. If a conditioned water quality certification has been issued for your project, you must comply with the conditions specified in the certification as special conditions to this permit. For your convenience, a copy of the certification is attached if it contains such conditions.

6. You must allow representatives from this office to inspect the authorized activity at any time deemed necessary to ensure that it is being or has been accomplished in accordance with the terms and conditions of your permit.

Special Conditions: (Add special conditions as required in this space with reference to a continuation sheet if necessary.)

Further Information:

1. Congressional Authorities: You have been authorized to undertake the activity described above pursuant to:

( ) Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403).

( ) Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).

( ) Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1413).

2. Limits of this authorization.

a. This permit does not obviate the need to obtain other Federal, state, or local authorizations required by law.

b. This permit does not grant any property rights or exclusive privileges.

c. This permit does not authorize any injury to the property or rights of others.

d. This permit does not authorize interference with any existing or proposed Federal project.

3. Limits of Federal Liability. In issuing this permit, the Federal Government does not assume any liability for the following:

a. Damages to the permitted project or uses thereof as a result of other permitted or unpermitted activities or from natural causes.

b. Damages to the permitted project or uses thereof as a result of current or future activities undertaken by or on behalf of the United States in the public interest.

c. Damages to persons, property, or to other permitted or unpermitted activities or structures caused by the activity authorized by this permit.

d. Design or construction deficiencies associated with the permitted work.

e. Damage claims associated with any future modification, suspension, or revocation of this permit.

4. Reliance on Applicant's Data: The determination of this office that issuance of this permit is not contrary to the public interest was made in reliance on the information you provided.

5. Reevaluation of Permit Decision. This office may reevaluate its decision on this permit at any time the circumstances warrant. Circumstances that could require a reevaluation include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. You fail to comply with the terms and conditions of this permit.

b. The information provided by you in support of your permit application proves to have been false, incomplete, or inaccurate (See 4 above).

c. Significant new information surfaces which this office did not consider in reaching the original public interest decision.

Such a reevaluation may result in a determination that it is appropriate to use the suspension, modification, and revocation procedures contained in 33 CFR 325.7 or enforcement procedures such as those contained in 33 CFR 326.4 and 326.5. The referenced enforcement procedures provide for the issuance of an administrative order requiring you to comply with the terms and conditions of your permit and for the initiation of legal action where appropriate. You will be required to pay for any corrective measures ordered by this office, and if you fail to comply with such directive, this office may in certain situations (such as those specified in 33 CFR 209.170) accomplish the corrective measures by contract or otherwise and bill you for the cost.

6. Extensions. General condition 1 establishes a time limit for the completion of the activity authorized by this permit. Unless there are circumstances requiring either a prompt completion of the authorized activity or a reevaluation of the public interest decision, the Corps will normally give favorable consideration to a request for an extension of this time limit.

Your signature below, as permittee, indicates that you accept and agree to comply with the terms and conditions of this permit.

This permit becomes effective when the Federal official, designated to act for the Secretary of the Army, has signed below.

When the structures or work authorized by this permit are still in existence at the time the property is transferred, the terms and conditions of this permit will continue to be binding on the new owner(s) of the property. To validate the transfer of this permit and the associated liabilities associated with compliance with its terms and conditions, have the transferee sign and date below.

B. Special Conditions. No special conditions will be preprinted on the permit form. The following and other special conditions should be added, as appropriate, in the space provided after the general conditions or on a referenced continuation sheet:

1. Your use of the permitted activity must not interfere with the public's right to free navigation on all navigable waters of the United States.

2. You must have a copy of this permit available on the vessel used for the authorized transportation and disposal of dredged material.

3. You must advise this office in writing, at least two weeks before you start maintenance dredging activities under the authority of this permit.

4. You must install and maintain, at your expense, any safety lights and signals prescribed by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), through regulations or otherwise, on your authorized facilities. The USCG may be reached at the following address and telephone number:

5. The condition below will be used when a Corps permit authorizes an artificial reef, an aerial transmission line, a submerged cable or pipeline, or a structure on the outer continental shelf.

National Ocean Service (NOS) has been notified of this authorization. You must notify NOS and this office in writing, at least two weeks before you begin work and upon completion of the activity authorized by this permit. Your notification of completion must include a drawing which certifies the location and configuration of the completed activity (a certified permit drawing may be used). Notifications to NOS will be sent to the following address: National Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey, N/CS261, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3282.

6. The following condition should be used for every permit where legal recordation of the permit would be reasonably practicable and recordation could put a subsequent purchaser or owner of property on notice of permit conditions.

You must take the actions required to record this permit with the Registrar of Deeds or other appropriate official charged with the responsibility for maintaining records of title to or interest in real property.

1. Introduction. In keeping with Executive Order 12291 and 40 Cspan 1500.2, where interpretive problems arise in implementing this regulation, and consideration of all other factors do not give a clear indication of a reasonable interpretation, the interpretation (consistent with the spirit and intent of NEPA) which results in the least paperwork and delay will be used. Specific examples of ways to reduce paperwork in the NEPA process are found at 40 Cspan 1500.4. Maximum advantage of these recommendations should be taken.

2. General. This Appendix sets forth implementing procedures for the Corps regulatory program. For additional guidance, see the Corps NEPA regulation 33 Cspan part 230 and for general policy guidance, see the CEQ regulations 40 Cspan 1500-1508.

3. Development of Information and Data. See 40 Cspan 1506.5. The district engineer may require the applicant to furnish appropriate information that the district engineer considers necessary for the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). See also 40 Cspan 1502.22 regarding incomplete or unavailable information.

4. Elimination of Duplication with State and Local Procedures. See 40 Cspan 1506.2.

5. Public Involvement. Several paragraphs of this appendix (paragraphs 7, 8, 11, 13, and 19) provide information on the requirements for district engineers to make available to the public certain environmental documents in accordance with 40 Cspan 1506.6.

6. Categorical Exclusions—a. General. Even though an EA or EIS is not legally mandated for any Federal action falling within one of the “categorical exclusions,” that fact does not exempt any Federal action from procedural or substantive compliance with any other Federal law. For example, compliance with the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, etc., is always mandatory, even for actions not requiring an EA or EIS. The following activities are not considered to be major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment and are therefore categorically excluded from NEPA documentation:

(1) Fixed or floating small private piers, small docks, boat hoists and boathouses.

(2) Minor utility distribution and collection lines including irrigation;

(3) Minor maintenance dredging using existing disposal sites;

(4) Boat launching ramps;

(5) All applications which qualify as letters of permission (as described at 33 Cspan 325.5(b)(2)).

b. Extraordinary Circumstances. District engineers should be alert for extraordinary circumstances where normally excluded actions could have substantial environmental effects and thus require an EA or EIS. For a period of one year from the effective date of these regulations, district engineers should maintain an information list on the type and number of categorical exclusion actions which, due to extraordinary circumstances, triggered the need for an EA/FONSI or EIS. If a district engineer determines that a categorical exclusion should be modified, the information will be furnished to the division engineer who will review and analyze the actions and circumstances to determine if there is a basis for recommending a modification to the list of categorical exclusions. HQUSACE (CECW-OR) will review recommended changes for Corps-wide consistency and revise the list accordingly.

7. EA/FONSI Document. (See 40 Cspan 1508.9 and 1508.13 for definitions)—a. Environmental Assessment (EA) and Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The EA should normally be combined with other required documents (EA/404(b)(1)/SOF/FONSI). “EA” as used throughout this Appendix normally refers to this combined document. The district engineer should complete an EA as soon as practicable after all relevant information is available (i.e., after the comment period for the public notice of the permit application has expired) and when the EA is a separate document it must be completed prior to completion of the statement of finding (SOF). When the EA confirms that the impact of the applicant's proposal is not significant and there are no “unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources * * *” (section 102(2)(E) of NEPA), and the proposed activity is a “water dependent” activity as defined in 40 Cspan 230.10(a)(3), the EA need not include a discussion on alternatives. In all other cases where the district engineer determines that there are unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources, the EA shall include a discussion of the reasonable alternatives which are to be considered by the ultimate decision-maker. The decision options available to the Corps, which embrace all of the applicant's alternatives, are issue the permit, issue with modifications or deny the permit. Modifications are limited to those project modifications within the scope of established permit conditioning policy (See 33 Cspan 325.4). The decision option to deny the permit results in the “no action” alternative (i.e., no activity requiring a Corps permit). The combined document normally should not exceed 15 pages and shall conclude with a FONSI (See 40 Cspan 1508.13) or a determination that an EIS is required. The district engineer may delegate the signing of the NEPA document. Should the EA demonstrate that an EIS is necessary, the district engineer shall follow the procedures outlined in paragraph 8 of this Appendix. In those cases where it is obvious an EIS is required, an EA is not required. However, the district engineer should document his reasons for requiring an EIS.

b. Scope of Analysis. (1) In some situations, a permit applicant may propose to conduct a specific activity requiring a Department of the Army (DA) permit (e.g., construction of a pier in a navigable water of the United States) which is merely one component of a larger project (e.g., construction of an oil refinery on an upland area). The district engineer should establish the scope of the NEPA document (e.g., the EA or EIS) to address the impacts of the specific activity requiring a DA permit and those portions of the entire project over which the district engineer has sufficient control and responsibility to warrant Federal review.

(2) The district engineer is considered to have control and responsibility for portions of the project beyond the limits of Corps jurisdiction where the Federal involvement is sufficient to turn an essentially private action into a Federal action. These are cases where the environmental consequences of the larger project are essentially products of the Corps permit action.

Typical factors to be considered in determining whether sufficient “control and responsibility” exists include:

(i) Whether or not the regulated activity comprises “merely a link” in a corridor type project (e.g., a transportation or utility transmission project).

(ii) Whether there are aspects of the upland facility in the immediate vicinity of the regulated activity which affect the location and configuration of the regulated activity.

(iii) The extent to which the entire project will be within Corps jurisdiction.

(iv) The extent of cumulative Federal control and responsibility.

A. Federal control and responsibility will include the portions of the project beyond the limits of Corps jurisdiction where the cumulative Federal involvement of the Corps and other Federal agencies is sufficient to grant legal control over such additional portions of the project. These are cases where the environmental consequences of the additional portions of the projects are essentially products of Federal financing, assistance, direction, regulation, or approval (not including funding assistance solely in the form of general revenue sharing funds, with no Federal agency control over the subsequent use of such funds, and not including judicial or administrative civil or criminal enforcement actions).

B. In determining whether sufficient cumulative Federal involvement exists to expand the scope of Federal action the district engineer should consider whether other Federal agencies are required to take Federal action under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands, (42 U.S.C. 4321 91977), and other environmental review laws and executive orders.

C. The district engineer should also refer to paragraphs 8(b) and 8(c) of this appendix for guidance on determining whether it should be the lead or a cooperating agency in these situations.

These factors will be added to or modified through guidance as additional field experience develops.

(3) Examples: If a non-Federal oil refinery, electric generating plant, or industrial facility is proposed to be built on an upland site and the only DA permit requirement relates to a connecting pipeline, supply loading terminal or fill road, that pipeline, terminal or fill road permit, in and of itself, normally would not constitute sufficient overall Federal involvement with the project to justify expanding the scope of a Corps NEPA document to cover upland portions of the facility beyond the structures in the immediate vicinity of the regulated activity that would effect the location and configuration of the regulated activity.

Similarly, if an applicant seeks a DA permit to fill waters or wetlands on which other construction or work is proposed, the control and responsibility of the Corps, as well as its overall Federal involvement would extend to the portions of the project to be located on the permitted fill. However, the NEPA review would be extended to the entire project, including portions outside waters of the United States, only if sufficient Federal control and responsibility over the entire project is determined to exist; that is, if the regulated activities, and those activities involving regulation, funding, etc. by other Federal agencies, comprise a substantial portion of the overall project. In any case, once the scope of analysis has been defined, the NEPA analysis for that action should include direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on all Federal interests within the purview of the NEPA statute. The district engineer should, whenever practicable, incorporate by reference and rely upon the reviews of other Federal and State agencies.

For those regulated activities that comprise merely a link in a transportation or utility transmission project, the scope of analysis should address the Federal action, i.e., the specific activity requiring a DA permit and any other portion of the project that is within the control or responsibility of the Corps of Engineers (or other Federal agencies).

For example, a 50-mile electrical transmission cable crossing a 1 1/4 mile wide river that is a navigable water of the United States requires a DA permit. Neither the origin and destination of the cable nor its route to and from the navigable water, except as the route applies to the location and configuration of the crossing, are within the control or responsibility of the Corps of Engineers. Those matters would not be included in the scope of analysis which, in this case, would address the impacts of the specific cable crossing.

Conversely, for those activities that require a DA permit for a major portion of a transportation or utility transmission project, so that the Corps permit bears upon the origin and destination as well as the route of the project outside the Corps regulatory boundaries, the scope of analysis should include those portions of the project outside the boundaries of the Corps section 10/404 regulatory jurisdiction. To use the same example, if 30 miles of the 50-mile transmission line crossed wetlands or other “waters of the United States,” the scope of analysis should reflect impacts of the whole 50-mile transmission line.

For those activities that require a DA permit for a major portion of a shoreside facility, the scope of analysis should extend to upland portions of the facility. For example, a shipping terminal normally requires dredging, wharves, bulkheads, berthing areas and disposal of dredged material in order to function. Permits for such activities are normally considered sufficient Federal control and responsibility to warrant extending the scope of analysis to include the upland portions of the facility.

In all cases, the scope of analysis used for analyzing both impacts and alternatives should be the same scope of analysis used for analyzing the benefits of a proposal.

8. Environmental Impact Statement—General—a. Determination of Lead and Cooperating Agencies. When the district engineer determines that an EIS is required, he will contact all appropriate Federal agencies to determine their respective role(s), i.e., that of lead agency or cooperating agency.

b. Corps as Lead Agency. When the Corps is lead agency, it will be responsible for managing the EIS process, including those portions which come under the jurisdiction of other Federal agencies. The district engineer is authorized to require the applicant to furnish appropriate information as discussed in paragraph 3 of this appendix. It is permissible for the Corps to reimburse, under agreement, staff support from other Federal agencies beyond the immediate jurisdiction of those agencies.

c. Corps as Cooperating Agency. If another agency is the lead agency as set forth by the CEQ regulations (40 Cspan 1501.5 and 1501.6(a) and 1508.16), the district engineer will coordinate with that agency as a cooperating agency under 40 Cspan 1501.6(b) and 1508.5 to insure that agency's resulting EIS may be adopted by the Corps for purposes of exercising its regulatory authority. As a cooperating agency the Corps will be responsible to the lead agency for providing environmental information which is directly related to the regulatory matter involved and which is required for the preparation of an EIS. This in no way shall be construed as lessening the district engineer's ability to request the applicant to furnish appropriate information as discussed in paragraph 3 of this appendix.

When the Corps is a cooperating agency because of a regulatory responsibility, the district engineer should, in accordance with 40 Cspan 1501.6(b)(4), “make available staff support at the lead agency's request” to enhance the latter's interdisciplinary capability provided the request pertains to the Corps regulatory action covered by the EIS, to the extent this is practicable. Beyond this, Corps staff support will generally be made available to the lead agency to the extent practicable within its own responsibility and available resources. Any assistance to a lead agency beyond this will normally be by written agreement with the lead agency providing for the Corps expenses on a cost reimbursable basis. If the district engineer believes a public hearing should be held and another agency is lead agency, the district engineer should request such a hearing and provide his reasoning for the request. The district engineer should suggest a joint hearing and offer to take an active part in the hearing and ensure coverage of the Corps concerns.

d. Scope of Analysis. See paragraph 7b.

e. Scoping Process. Refer to 40 Cspan 1501.7 and 33 Cspan 230.12.

f. Contracting. See 40 Cspan 1506.5.

(1) The district engineer may prepare an EIS, or may obtain information needed to prepare an EIS, either with his own staff or by contract. In choosing a contractor who reports directly to the district engineer, the procedures of 40 Cspan 1506.5(c) will be followed.

(2) Information required for an EIS also may be furnished by the applicant or a consultant employed by the applicant. Where this approach is followed, the district engineer will (i) advise the applicant and/or his consultant of the Corps information requirements, and (ii) meet with the applicant and/or his consultant from time to time and provide him with the district engineer's views regarding adequacy of the data that are being developed (including how the district engineer will view such data in light of any possible conflicts of interest).

The applicant and/or his consultant may accept or reject the district engineer's guidance. The district engineer, however, may after specifying the information in contention, require the applicant to resubmit any previously submitted data which the district engineer considers inadequate or inaccurate. In all cases, the district engineer should document in the record the Corps independent evaluation of the information and its accuracy, as required by 40 Cspan 1506.5(a).

g. Change in EIS Determination. If it is determined that an EIS is not required after a notice of intent has been published, the district engineer shall terminate the EIS preparation and withdraw the notice of intent. The district engineer shall notify in writing the appropriate division engineer; HQUSACE (CECW-OR); the appropriate EPA regional administrator, the Director, Office of Federal Activities (A-104), EPA, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460 and the public of the determination.

h. Time Limits. For regulatory actions, the district engineer will follow 33 Cspan 230.17(a) unless unusual delays caused by applicant inaction or compliance with other statutes require longer time frames for EIS preparation. At the outset of the EIS effort, schedule milestones will be developed and made available to the applicant and the public. If the milestone dates are not met the district engineer will notify the applicant and explain the reason for delay.

9. Organization and Content of Draft EISs—a. General. This section gives detailed information for preparing draft EISs. When the Corps is the lead agency, this draft EIS format and these procedures will be followed. When the Corps is one of the joint lead agencies, the joint lead agencies will mutually decide which agency's format and procedures will be followed.

b. Format—(1) Cover Sheet. (a) Ref. 40 Cspan 1502.11.

(b) The “person at the agency who can supply further information” (40 Cspan 1502.11(c) is the project manager handling that permit application.

(c) The cover sheet should identify the EIS as a Corps permit action and state the authorities (sections 9, 10, 404, 103, etc.) under which the Corps is exerting its jurisdiction.

(2) Summary. In addition to the requirements of 40 Cspan 1502.12, this section should identify the proposed action as a Corps permit action stating the authorities (sections 9, 10, 404, 103, etc.) under which the Corps is exerting its jurisdiction. It shall also summarize the purpose and need for the proposed action and shall briefly state the beneficial/adverse impacts of the proposed action.

(3) Table of Contents.

(4) Purpose and Need. See 40 Cspan 1502.13. If the scope of analysis for the NEPA document (see paragraph 7b) covers only the proposed specific activity requiring a Department of the Army permit, then the underlying purpose and need for that specific activity should be stated. (For example, “The purpose and need for the pipe is to obtain cooling water from the river for the electric generating plant.”) If the scope of analysis covers a more extensive project, only part of which may require a DA permit, then the underlying purpose and need for the entire project should be stated. (For example, “The purpose and need for the electric generating plant is to provide increased supplies of electricity to the (named) geographic area.”) Normally, the applicant should be encouraged to provide a statement of his proposed activity's purpose and need from his perspective (for example, “to construct an electric generating plant”). However, whenever the NEPA document's scope of analysis renders it appropriate, the Corps also should consider and express that activity's underlying purpose and need from a public interest perspective (to use that same example, “to meet the public's need for electric energy”). Also, while generally focusing on the applicant's statement, the Corps, will in all cases, exercise independent judgment in defining the purpose and need for the project from both the applicant's and the public's perspective.

(5) Alternatives. See 40 Cspan 1502.14. The Corps is neither an opponent nor a proponent of the applicant's proposal; therefore, the applicant's final proposal will be identified as the “applicant's preferred alternative” in the final EIS. Decision options available to the district engineer, which embrace all of the applicant's alternatives, are issue the permit, issue with modifications or conditions or deny the permit.

(a) Only reasonable alternatives need be considered in detail, as specified in 40 Cspan 1502.14(a). Reasonable alternatives must be those that are feasible and such feasibility must focus on the accomplishment of the underlying purpose and need (of the applicant or the public) that would be satisfied by the proposed Federal action (permit issuance). The alternatives analysis should be thorough enough to use for both the public interest review and the 404(b)(1) guidelines (40 Cspan part 230) where applicable. Those alternatives that are unavailable to the applicant, whether or not they require Federal action (permits), should normally be included in the analysis of the no-Federal-action (denial) alternative. Such alternatives should be evaluated only to the extent necessary to allow a complete and objective evaluation of the public interest and a fully informed decision regarding the permit application.

(b) The “no-action” alternative is one which results in no construction requiring a Corps permit. It may be brought by (1) the applicant electing to modify his proposal to eliminate work under the jurisdiction of the Corps or (2) by the denial of the permit. District engineers, when evaluating this alternative, should discuss, when appropriate, the consequences of other likely uses of a project site, should the permit be denied.

(c) The EIS should discuss geographic alternatives, e.g., changes in location and other site specific variables, and functional alternatives, e.g., project substitutes and design modifications.

(d) The Corps shall not prepare a cost-benefit analysis for projects requiring a Corps permit. 40 Cspan 1502.23 states that the weighing of the various alternatives need not be displayed in a cost-benefit analysis and “* * * should not be when there are important qualitative considerations.” The EIS should, however, indicate any cost considerations that are likely to be relevant to a decision.

(e) Mitigation is defined in 40 Cspan 1508.20, and Federal action agencies are directed in 40 Cspan 1502.14 to include appropriate mitigation measures. Guidance on the conditioning of permits to require mitigation is in 33 Cspan 320.4(r) and 325.4. The nature and extent of mitigation conditions are dependent on the results of the public interest review in 33 Cspan 320.4.

(6) Affected Environment. See Ref. 40 Cspan 1502.15.

(7) Environmental Consequences. See Ref. 40 Cspan 1502.16.

(8) List of Preparers. See Ref. 40 Cspan 1502.17.

(9) Public Involvement. This section should list the dates and nature of all public notices, scoping meetings and public hearings and include a list of all parties notified.

(10) Appendices. See 40 Cspan 1502.18. Appendices should be used to the maximum extent practicable to minimize the length of the main text of the EIS. Appendices normally should not be circulated with every copy of the EIS, but appropriate appendices should be provided routinely to parties with special interest and expertise in the particular subject.

(11) Index. The Index of an EIS, at the end of the document, should be designed to provide for easy reference to items discussed in the main text of the EIS.

10. Notice of Intent. The district engineer shall follow the guidance in 33 Cspan part 230, Appendix C in preparing a notice of intent to prepare a draft EIS for publication in the Federal Register.

11. Public Hearing. If a public hearing is to be held pursuant to 33 Cspan part 327 for a permit application requiring an EIS, the actions analyzed by the draft EIS should be considered at the public hearing. The district engineer should make the draft EIS available to the public at least 15 days in advance of the hearing. If a hearing request is received from another agency having jurisdiction as provided in 40 Cspan 1506.6(c)(2), the district engineer should coordinate a joint hearing with that agency whenever appropriate.

12. Organization and Content of Final EIS. The organization and content of the final EIS including the abbreviated final EIS procedures shall follow the guidance in 33 Cspan 230.14(a).

13. Comments Received on the Final EIS. For permit cases to be decided at the district level, the district engineer should consider all incoming comments and provide responses when substantive issues are raised which have not been addressed in the final EIS. For permit cases decided at higher authority, the district engineer shall forward the final EIS comment letters together with appropriate responses to higher authority along with the case. In the case of a letter recommending a referral under 40 Cspan part 1504, the district engineer will follow the guidance in paragraph 19 of this appendix.

14. EIS Supplement. See 33 Cspan 230.13(b).

15. Filing Requirements. See 40 Cspan 1506.9. Five (5) copies of EISs shall be sent to Director, Office of Federal Activities (A-104), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460. The official review periods commence with EPA's publication of a notice of availability of the draft or final EISs in the Federal Register. Generally, this notice appears on Friday of each week. At the same time they are mailed to EPA for filing, one copy of each draft or final EIS, or EIS supplement should be mailed to HQUSACE (CECW-OR) WASH DC 20314-1000.

16. Timing. 40 Cspan 1506.10 describes the timing of an agency action when an EIS is involved.

17. Expedited Filing. 40 Cspan 1506.10 provides information on allowable time reductions and time extensions associated with the EIS process. The district engineer will provide the necessary information and facts to HQUSACE (CECW-RE) WASH DC 20314-1000 (with copy to CECW-OR) for consultation with EPA for a reduction in the prescribed review periods.

18. Record of Decision. In those cases involving an EIS, the statement of findings will be called the record of decision and shall incorporate the requirements of 40 Cspan 1505.2. The record of decision is not to be included when filing a final EIS and may not be signed until 30 days after the notice of availability of the final EIS is published in the Federal Register. To avoid duplication, the record of decision may reference the EIS.

19. Predecision Referrals by Other Agencies. See 40 Cspan part 1504. The decisionmaker should notify any potential referring Federal agency and CEQ of a final decision if it is contrary to the announced position of a potential referring agency. (This pertains to a NEPA referral, not a 404(q) referral under the Clean Water Act. The procedures for a 404(q) referral are outlined in the 404(q) Memoranda of Agreement. The potential referring agency will then have 25 calendar days to refer the case to CEQ under 40 Cspan part 1504. Referrals will be transmitted through division to CECW-RE for further guidance with an information copy to CECW-OR.

20. Review of Other Agencies' EISs. District engineers should provide comments directly to the requesting agency specifically related to the Corps jurisdiction by law or special expertise as defined in 40 Cspan 1508.15 and 1508.26 and identified in Appendix II of CEQ regulations (49 span 49750, December 21, 1984). If the district engineer determines that another agency's draft EIS which involves a Corps permit action is inadequate with respect to the Corps permit action, the district engineer should attempt to resolve the differences concerning the Corps permit action prior to the filing of the final EIS by the other agency. If the district engineer finds that the final EIS is inadequate with respect to the Corps permit action, the district engineer should incorporate the other agency's final EIS or a portion thereof and prepare an appropriate and adequate NEPA document to address the Corps involvement with the proposed action. See 33 Cspan 230.21 for guidance. The agency which prepared the original EIS should be given the opportunity to provide additional information to that contained in the EIS in order for the Corps to have all relevant information available for a sound decision on the permit.

21. Monitoring. Monitoring compliance with permit requirements should be carried out in accordance with 33 Cspan 230.15 and with 33 Cspan part 325.

a. Designated historic property is a historic property listed in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) or which has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register pursuant to 36 CFR part 63. A historic property that, in both the opinion of the SHPO and the district engineer, appears to meet the criteria for inclusion in the National Register will be treated as a “designated historic property.”

b. Historic property is a property which has historical importance to any person or group. This term includes the types of districts, sites, buildings, structures or objects eligible for inclusion, but not necessarily listed, on the National Register.

c. Certified local government is a local government certified in accordance with section 101(c)(1) of the NHPA (See 36 CFR part 61).

d. The term “criteria for inclusion in the National Register” refers to the criteria published by the Department of Interior at 36 CFR 60.4.

e. An “effect” on a “designated historic property” occurs when the undertaking may alter the characteristics of the property that qualified the property for inclusion in the National Register. Consideration of effects on “designated historic properties” includes indirect effects of the undertaking. The criteria for effect and adverse effect are described in Paragraph 15 of this appendix.

f. The term “undertaking” as used in this appendix means the work, structure or discharge that requires a Department of the Army permit pursuant to the Corps regulations at 33 CFR 320-334.

g. Permit area.

(1) The term “permit area” as used in this appendix means those areas comprising the waters of the United States that will be directly affected by the proposed work or structures and uplands directly affected as a result of authorizing the work or structures. The following three tests must all be satisfied for an activity undertaken outside the waters of the United States to be included within the “permit area”:

(i) Such activity would not occur but for the authorization of the work or structures within the waters of the United States;

(ii) Such activity must be integrally related to the work or structures to be authorized within waters of the United States. Or, conversely, the work or structures to be authorized must be essential to the completeness of the overall project or program; and

(iii) Such activity must be directly associated (first order impact) with the work or structures to be authorized.

(2) For example, consider an application for a permit to construct a pier and dredge an access channel so that an industry may be established and operated on an upland area.

(i) Assume that the industry requires the access channel and the pier and that without such channel and pier the project would not be feasible. Clearly then, the industrial site, even though upland, would be within the “permit area.” It would not be established “but for” the access channel and pier; it also is integrally related to the work and structure to be authorized; and finally it is directly associated with the work and structure to be authorized. Similarly, all three tests are satisfied for the dredged material disposal site and it too is in the “permit area” even if located on uplands.

(ii) Consider further that the industry, if established, would cause local agencies to extend water and sewer lines to service the area of the industrial site. Assume that the extension would not itself involve the waters of the United States and is not solely the result of the industrial facility. The extensions would not be within the “permit area” because they would not be directly associated with the work or structure to be authorized.

(iii) Now consider that the industry, if established, would require increased housing for its employees, but that a private developer would develop the housing. Again, even if the housing would not be developed but for the authorized work and structure, the housing would not be within the permit area because it would not be directly associated with or integrally related to the work or structure to be authorized.

(3) Consider a different example. This time an industry will be established that requires no access to the navigable waters for its operation. The plans for the facility, however, call for a recreational pier with an access channel. The pier and channel will be used for the company-owned yacht and employee recreation. In the example, the industrial site is not included within the permit area. Only areas of dredging, dredged material disposal, and pier construction would be within the permit area.

(4) Lastly, consider a linear crossing of the waters of the United States; for example, by a transmission line, pipeline, or highway.

(i) Such projects almost always can be undertaken without Corps authorization, if they are designed to avoid affecting the waters of the United States. Corps authorization is sought because it is less expensive or more convenient for the applicant to do so than to avoid affecting the waters of the United States. Thus the “but for” test is not met by the entire project right-of-way. The “same undertaking” and “integral relationship” tests are met, but this is not sufficient to make the whole right-of-way part of the permit area. Typically, however, some portion of the right-of-way, approaching the crossing, would not occur in its given configuration “but for” the authorized activity. This portion of the right-of-way, whose location is determined by the location of the crossing, meets all three tests and hence is part of the permit area.

(ii) Accordingly, in the case of the linear crossing, the permit area shall extend in either direction from the crossing to that point at which alternative alignments leading to reasonable alternative locations for the crossing can be considered and evaluated. Such a point may often coincide with the physical feature of the waterbody to be crossed, for example, a bluff, the limit of the flood plain, a vegetational change, etc., or with a jurisdictional feature associated with the waterbody, for example, a zoning change, easement limit, etc., although such features should not be controlling in selecting the limits of the permit area.

This appendix establishes the procedures to be followed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to fulfill the requirements set forth in the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), other applicable historic preservation laws, and Presidential directives as they relate to the regulatory program of the Corps of Engineers (33 CFR parts 320-334).

a. The district engineer will take into account the effects, if any, of proposed undertakings on historic properties both within and beyond the waters of the U.S. Pursuant to section 110(f) of the NHPA, the district engineer, where the undertaking that is the subject of a permit action may directly and adversely affect any National Historic Landmark, shall, to the maximum extent possible, condition any issued permit as may be necessary to minimize harm to such landmark.

b. In addition to the requirements of the NHPA, all historic properties are subject to consideration under the National Environmental Policy Act, (33 CFR part 325, appendix B), and the Corps' public interest review requirements contained in 33 CFR 320.4. Therefore, historic properties will be included as a factor in the district engineer's decision on a permit application.

c. In processing a permit application, the district engineer will generally accept for Federal or Federally assisted projects the Federal agency's or Federal lead agency's compliance with the requirements of the NHPA.

d. If a permit application requires the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the draft EIS will contain the information required by paragraph 9.a. below. Furthermore, the SHPO and the ACHP will be given the opportunity to participate in the scoping process and to comment on the Draft and Final EIS.

e. During pre-application consultations with a prospective applicant the district engineer will encourage the consideration of historic properties at the earliest practical time in the planning process.

f. This appendix is organized to follow the Corps standard permit process and to indicate how historic property considerations are to be addressed during the processing and evaluating of permit applications. The procedures of this Appendix are not intended to diminish the full consideration of historic properties in the Corps regulatory program. Rather, this appendix is intended to provide for the maximum consideration of historic properties within the time and jurisdictional constraints of the Corps regulatory program. The Corps will make every effort to provide information on historic properties and the effects of proposed undertakings on them to the public by the public notice within the time constraints required by the Clean Water Act. Within the time constraints of applicable laws, executive orders, and regulations, the Corps will provide the maximum coordination and comment opportunities to interested parties especially the SHPO and ACHP. The Corps will discuss with and encourage the applicant to avoid or minimize effects on historic properties. In reaching its decisions on permits, the Corps will adhere to the goals of the NHPA and other applicable laws dealing with historic properties.

a. Upon receipt of a completed permit application, the district engineer will consult district files and records, the latest published version(s) of the National Register, lists of properties determined eligible, and other appropriate sources of information to determine if there are any designated historic properties which may be affected by the proposed undertaking. The district engineer will also consult with other appropriate sources of information for knowledge of undesignated historic properties which may be affected by the proposed undertaking. The district engineer will establish procedures (e.g., telephone calls) to obtain supplemental information from the SHPO and other appropriate sources. Such procedures shall be accomplished within the time limits specified in this appendix and 33 CFR part 325.

b. In certain instances, the nature, scope, and magnitude of the work, and/or structures to be permitted may be such that there is little likelihood that a historic property exists or may be affected. Where the district engineer determines that such a situation exists, he will include a statement to this effect in the public notice. Three such situations are:

(1) Areas that have been extensively modified by previous work. In such areas, historic properties that may have at one time existed within the permit area may be presumed to have been lost unless specific information indicates the presence of such a property (e.g., a shipwreck).

(2) Areas which have been created in modern times. Some recently created areas, such as dredged material disposal islands, have had no human habitation. In such cases, it may be presumed that there is no potential for the existence of historic properties unless specific information indicates the presence of such a property.

(3) Certain types of work or structures that are of such limited nature and scope that there is little likelihood of impinging upon a historic property even if such properties were to be present within the affected area.

c. If, when using the pre-application procedures of 33 CFR 325.1(b), the district engineer believes that a designated historic property may be affected, he will inform the prospective applicant for consideration during project planning of the potential applicability of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation (48 FR 44716). The district engineer will also inform the prospective applicant that the Corps will consider any effects on historic properties in accordance with this appendix.

d. At the earliest practical time the district engineer will discuss with the applicant measures or alternatives to avoid or minimize effects on historic properties.

a. Except as specified in subparagraph 4.c., the district engineer's current knowledge of the presence or absence of historic properties and the effects of the undertaking upon these properties will be included in the public notice. The public notice will be sent to the SHPO, the regional office of the National Park Service (NPS), certified local governments (see paragraph (1.c.) and Indian tribes, and interested citizens. If there are designated historic properties which reasonably may be affected by the undertaking or if there are undesignated historic properties within the affected area which the district engineer reasonably expects to be affected by the undertaking and which he believes meet the criteria for inclusion in the National Register, the public notice will also be sent to the ACHP.

b. During permit evaluation for newly designated historic properties or undesignated historic properties which reasonably may be affected by the undertaking and which have been newly identified through the public interest review process, the district engineer will immediately inform the applicant, the SHPO, the appropriate certified local government and the ACHP of the district engineer's current knowledge of the effects of the undertaking upon these properties. Commencing from the date of the district engineer's letter, these entities will be given 30 days to submit their comments.

c. Locational and sensitive information related to archeological sites is excluded from the Freedom of Information Act (Section 304 of the NHPA and Section 9 of ARPA). If the district engineer or the Secretary of the Interior determine that the disclosure of information to the public relating to the location or character of sensitive historic resources may create a substantial risk of harm, theft, or destruction to such resources or to the area or place where such resources are located, then the district engineer will not include such information in the public notice nor otherwise make it available to the public. Therefore, the district engineer will furnish such information to the ACHP and the SHPO by separate notice.

a. When initial review, addition submissions by the applicant, or response to the public notice indicates the existence of a potentially eligible property, the district engineer shall examine the pertinent evidence to determine the need for further investigation. The evidence must set forth specific reasons for the need to further investigate within the permit area and may consist of:

(1) Specific information concerning properties which may be eligible for inclusion in the National Register and which are known to exist in the vicinity of the project; and

(2) Specific information concerning known sensitive areas which are likely to yield resources eligible for inclusion in the National Register, particularly where such sensitive area determinations are based upon data collected from other, similar areas within the general vicinity.

b. Where the scope and type of work proposed by the applicant or the evidence presented leads the district engineer to conclude that the chance of disturbance by the undertaking to any potentially eligible historic property is too remote to justify further investigation, he shall so advise the reporting party and the SHPO.

c. If the district engineer's review indicates that an investigation for the presence of potentially eligible historic properties on the upland locations of the permit area (see paragraph 1.g.) is justified, the district engineer will conduct or cause to be conducted such an investigation. Additionally, if the notification indicates that a potentially eligible historic property may exist within waters of the U.S., the district engineer will conduct or cause to be conducted an investigation to determine whether this property may be eligible for inclusion in the National Register. Comments or information of a general nature will not be considered as sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation.

d. In addition to any investigations conducted in accordance with paragraph 6.a. above, the district engineer may conduct or cause to be conducted additional investigations which the district engineer determines are essential to reach the public interest decision . As part of any site visit, Corps personnel will examine the permit area for the presence of potentially eligible historic properties. The Corps will notify the SHPO, if any evidence is found which indicates the presence of potentially eligible historic properties.

e. As determined by the district engineer, investigations may consist of any of the following: further consultations with the SHPO, the State Archeologist, local governments, Indian tribes, local historical and archeological societies, university archeologists, and others with knowledge and expertise in the identification of historical, archeological, cultural and scientific resources; field examinations; and archeological testing. In most cases, the district engineer will require, in accordance with 33 CFR 325.1(e), that the applicant conduct the investigation at his expense and usually by third party contract.

f. The Corps of Engineers' responsibilities to seek eligibility determinations for potentially eligible historic properties is limited to resources located within waters of the U.S. that are directly affected by the undertaking. The Corps responsibilities to identify potentially eligible historic properties is limited to resources located within the permit area that are directly affected by related upland activities. The Corps is not responsible for identifying or assessing potentially eligible historic properties outside the permit area, but will consider the effects of undertakings on any known historic properties that may occur outside the permit area.

a. For a historic property within waters of the U.S. that will be directly affected by the undertaking the district engineer will, for the purposes of this Appendix and compliance with the NHPA:

(1) Treat the historic property as a “designated historic property,” if both the SHPO and the district engineer agree that it is eligible for inclusion in the National Register; or

(2) Treat the historic property as not eligible, if both the SHPO and the district engineer agree that it is not eligible for inclusion in the National Register; or

(3) Request a determination of eligibility from the Keeper of the National Register in accordance with applicable National Park Service regulations and notify the applicant, if the SHPO and the district engineer disagree or the ACHP or the Secretary of the Interior so request. If the Keeper of the National Register determines that the resources are not eligible for listing in the National Register or fails to respond within 45 days of receipt of the request, the district engineer may proceed to conclude his action on the permit application.

b. For a historic property outside of waters of the U.S. that will be directly affected by the undertaking the district engineer will, for the purposes of this appendix and compliance with the NHPA:

(1) Treat the historic property as a “designated historic property,” if both the SHPO and the district engineer agree that it is eligible for inclusion in the National Register; or

(2) Treat the historic property as not eligible, if both the SHPO and the district engineer agree that it is not eligible for inclusion in the National Register; or

(3) Treat the historic property as not eligible unless the Keeper of the National Register determines it is eligible for or lists it on the National Register. (See paragraph 6.c. below.)

c. If the district engineer and the SHPO do not agree pursuant to paragraph 6.b.(1) and the SHPO notifies the district engineer that it is nominating a potentially eligible historic property for the National Register that may be affected by the undertaking, the district engineer will wait a reasonable period of time for that determination to be made before concluding his action on the permit. Such a reasonable period of time would normally be 30 days for the SHPO to nominate the historic property plus 45 days for the Keeper of the National Register to make such determination. The district engineer will encourage the applicant to cooperate with the SHPO in obtaining the information necessary to nominate the historic property.

a. Applying the Criteria of Effect and Adverse Effect. During the public notice comment period or within 30 days after the determination or discovery of a designated history property the district engineer will coordinate with the SHPO and determine if there is an effect and if so, assess the effect. (See Paragraph 15.)

b. No Effect. If the SHPO concurs with the district engineer's determination of no effect or fails to respond within 15 days of the district engineer's notice to the SHPO of a no effect determination, then the district engineer may proceed with the final decision.

c. No Adverse Effect. If the district engineer, based on his coordination with the SHPO (see paragraph 7.a.), determines that an effect is not adverse, the district engineer will notify the ACHP and request the comments of the ACHP. The district engineer's notice will include a description of both the project and the designated historic property; both the district engineer's and the SHPO's views, as well as any views of affected local governments, Indian tribes, Federal agencies, and the public, on the no adverse effect determination; and a description of the efforts to identify historic properties and solicit the views of those above. The district engineer may conclude the permit decision if the ACHP does not object to the district engineer's determination or if the district engineer accepts any conditions requested by the ACHP for a no adverse effect determination, or the ACHP fails to respond within 30 days of the district engineer's notice to the ACHP. If the ACHP objects or the district engineer does not accept the conditions proposed by the ACHP, then the effect shall be considered as adverse.

d. Adverse Effect. If an adverse effect on designated historic properties is found, the district engineer will notify the ACHP and coordinate with the SHPO to seek ways to avoid or reduce effects on designated historic properties. Either the district engineer or the SHPO may request the ACHP to participate. At its discretion, the ACHP may participate without such a request. The district engineer, the SHPO or the ACHP may state that further coordination will not be productive. The district engineer shall then request the ACHP's comments in accordance with paragraph 9.

At any time during permit processing, the district engineer may consult with the involved parties to discuss and consider possible alternatives or measures to avoid or minimize the adverse effects of a proposed activity. The district engineer will terminate any consultation immediately upon determining that further consultation is not productive and will immediately notify the consulting parties. If the consultation results in a mutual agreement among the SHPO, ACHP, applicant and the district engineer regarding the treatment of designated historic properties, then the district engineer may formalize that agreement either through permit conditioning or by signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with these parties. Such MOA will constitute the comments of the ACHP and the SHPO, and the district engineer may proceed with the permit decision. Consultation shall not continue beyond the comment period provided in paragraph 9.b.

a. If: (i) The district engineer determines that coordination with the SHPO is unproductive; or (ii) the ACHP, within the appropriate comment period, requests additional information in order to provide its comments; or (iii) the ACHP objects to any agreed resolution of impacts on designated historic properties; the district engineer, normally within 30 days, shall provide the ACHP with:

(1) A project description, including, as appropriate, photographs, maps, drawings, and specifications (such as, dimensions of structures, fills, or excavations; types of materials and quantity of material);

(2) A listing and description of the designated historic properties that will be affected, including the reports from any surveys or investigations;

(3) A description of the anticipated adverse effects of the undertaking on the designated historic properties and of the proposed mitigation measures and alternatives considered, if any; and

(4) The views of any commenting parties regarding designated historic properties.

In developing this information, the district engineer may coordinate with the applicant, the SHPO, and any appropriate Indian tribe or certified local government.

Copies of the above information also should be forwarded to the applicant, the SHPO, and any appropriate Indian tribe or certified local government. The district engineer will not delay his decision but will consider any comments these parties may wish to provide.

b. The district engineer will provide the ACHP 60 days from the date of the district engineer's letter forwarding the information in paragraph 9.a., to provide its comments. If the ACHP does not comment by the end of this comment period, the district engineer will complete processing of the permit application. When the permit decision is otherwise delayed as provided in 33 CFR 325.2(d) (3) & (4), the district engineer will provide additional time for the ACHP to comment consistent with, but not extending beyond that delay.

a. In making the public interest decision on a permit application, in accordance with 33 CFR 320.4, the district engineer shall weigh all factors, including the effects of the undertaking on historic properties and any comments of the ACHP and the SHPO, and any views of other interested parties. The district engineer will add permit conditions to avoid or reduce effects on historic properties which he determines are necessary in accordance with 33 CFR 325.4. In reaching his determination, the district engineer will consider the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation (48 FR 44716).

b. If the district engineer concludes that permitting the activity would result in the irrevocable loss of important scientific, prehistoric, historical, or archeological data, the district engineer, in accordance with the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974, will advise the Secretary of the Interior (by notifying the National Park Service (NPS)) of the extent to which the data may be lost if the undertaking is permitted, any plans to mitigate such loss that will be implemented, and the permit conditions that will be included to ensure that any required mitigation occurs.

After the permit has been issued, if the district engineer finds or is notified that the permit area contains a previously unknown potentially eligible historic property which he reasonably expects will be affected by the undertaking, he shall immediately inform the Department of the Interior Departmental Consulting Archeologist and the regional office of the NPS of the current knowledge of the potentially eligible historic property and the expected effects, if any, of the undertaking on that property. The district engineer will seek voluntary avoidance of construction activities that could affect the historic property pending a recommendation from the National Park Service pursuant to the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974. Based on the circumstances of the discovery, equity to all parties, and considerations of the public interest, the district engineer may modify, suspend or revoke a permit in accordance with 33 CFR 325.7.

Potential impacts on historic properties will be considered in development and evaluation of general permits. However, many of the specific procedures contained in this appendix are not normally applicable to general permits. In developing general permits, the district engineer will seek the views of the SHPO and, the ACHP and other organizations and/or individuals with expertise or interest in historic properties. Where designated historic properties are reasonably likely to be affected, general permits shall be conditioned to protect such properties or to limit the applicability of the permit coverage.

a. The criteria at paragraph 15 of this Appendix will be used for determining compliance with the nationwide permit condition at 33 CFR 330.5(b)(9) regarding the effect on designated historic properties. When making this determination the district engineer may consult with the SHPO, the ACHP or other interested parties.

b. If the district engineer is notified of a potentially eligible historic property in accordance with nationwide permit regulations and conditions, he will immediately notify the SHPO. If the district engineer believes that the potentially eligible historic property meets the criteria for inclusion in the National Register and that it may be affected by the proposed undertaking then he may suspend authorization of the nationwide permit until he provides the ACHP and the SHPO the opportunity to comment in accordance with the provisions of this Appendix. Once these provisions have been satisfied, the district engineer may notify the general permittee that the activity is authorized including any special activity specific conditions identified or that an individual permit is required.

The procedures for processing permits in emergency situations are described at 33 CFR 325.2(e)(4). In an emergency situation the district engineer will make every reasonable effort to receive comments from the SHPO and the ACHP, when the proposed undertaking can reasonably be expected to affect a potentially eligible or designated historic property and will comply with the provisions of this Appendix to the extent time and the emergency situation allows.

(a) An undertaking has an effect on a designated historic property when the undertaking may alter characteristics of the property that qualified the property for inclusion in the National Register. For the purpose of determining effect, alteration to features of a property's location, setting, or use may be relevant, and depending on a property's important characteristics, should be considered.

(b) An undertaking is considered to have an adverse effect when the effect on a designated historic property may diminish the integrity of the property's location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, or association. Adverse effects on designated historic properties include, but are not limited to:

(1) Physical destruction, damage, or alteration of all or part of the property;

(2) Isolation of the property from or alteration of the character of the property's setting when that character contributes to the property's qualification for the National Register;

(3) Introduction of visual, audible, or atmospheric elements that are out of character with the property or alter its setting;

(4) Neglect of a property resulting in its deterioration or destruction; and

(5) Transfer, lease, or sale of the property.

(c) Effects of an undertaking that would otherwise be found to be adverse may be considered as being not adverse for the purpose of this appendix:

(1) When the designated historic property is of value only for its potential contribution to archeological, historical, or architectural research, and when such value can be substantially preserved through the conduct of appropriate research, and such research is conducted in accordance with applicable professional standards and guidelines;

(2) When the undertaking is limited to the rehabilitation of buildings and structures and is conducted in a manner that preserves the historical and architectural value of affected designated historic properties through conformance with the Secretary's “Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings”, or

(3) When the undertaking is limited to the transfer, lease, or sale of a designated historic property, and adequate restrictions or conditions are included to ensure preservation of the property's important historic features.