6 January 2025 - Public Notice Module Now Available - Enhances RRS Functionality!

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is excited to announce the launch of the Public Notice module on the Regulatory Request System (RRS). Released in January 2025, this new feature allows users nationwide to search, review, and comment on projects being reviewed by the Regulatory Program, significantly enhancing transparency, accessibility, and efficiency. The Public Notice module provides access to Regulatory projects requiring a standard permit or when public notices are issued to develop Mitigation Banks, In-lieu Fee Programs or to issue/reissue a Regional or Programmatic Permit or Section 404 Letter of Permission.  It organizes notices by state and district, which can be viewed in a table format or on an interactive map. Users can easily search for notices by project name or address and submit comments directly through the platform, streamlining public engagement and reinforcing USACE's commitment to improving transparency and the permitting process.

The RRS is a web-based platform, currently in its beta version, designed to simplify the permitting process and enhance user experience. In addition to the new Public Notice Module, RRS enables users to submit permit applications, request jurisdictional determinations, and schedule pre-application meetings, all through a user-friendly interface.

We encourage you to explore the Regulatory Request System and its new features by visiting rrs.usace.army.mil. For additional information or to provide feedback, please contact us at rrs@usace.army.mil.

15 November 2024 - Special Public Notice Regulatory Program Workshop

PURPOSE OF PUBLIC NOTICE: To inform you of that the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District (Corps) is hosting a Workshop on the Regulatory program for all interested parties.

AGENDA: Workshop topics will include: 1) Welcome and Opening Remarks; 2) State of the Regulatory Program (Changes to budget and program); 3) Hot topics including Special Public Notices – Programmatic Emphasis on Permit Applications (AJD), Jurisdictional Determinations (JDs) and JD Request Form, Pipeline Template, Mitigation Bank HQ Memo and SWG Mitigation Bank Templates; 4) Jurisdiction and JDs, Techniques we are using for JDs, an interpretation of the pre-2015 post Sackett, useful information to collect during the delineation site visit to help us determine a CSC, requirements for us to accept a delineation; 5) Special Public Notice – NWP GC18, in relation to ESA consultation, differences between FWS/NMFS consultation, lessons learned and good practices, tools and programmatic efforts; 6) Endangered Species, new species/habitat concerns, BA – what the service wants to see in detail for different projects.; and 7) Section 408, challenges, coordination requirements; 8) Regulatory Division Remarks; 9) Open Discussion, Q/A, Networking.

The link to the PN is listed here.

7 November 2024 - The USACE Antecedent Precipitation Tool (APT) is Operational

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), headquartered in Asheville, NC, has restored service to its data center following the impacts from Hurricane Helene.

The USACE Antecedent Precipitation Tool (APT), which relies on the NOAA data, is once again operational. USACE HQ is adding an announcement to our HQ webpage to make the public aware that APT service has been restored.

There may be some intermittent downtime as NOAA continues to restore and improve service. The APT Team is aware of this issue and therefore there is no need to submit additional error reports to the APT Team.

Practitioners may also check the following webpage for updates from NOAA: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/latest-on-hurricane-helenes-impacts-on-noaas-national-centers-for-environmental-information .

Our thoughts continue to be with the people across the region and all of those who will deal with disruptions in their community for a long time.

28 October 2024 - Notice of Availability of the Regional Streamflow Duration Assessment Methods of the Arid West, Western Mountains, and Great Plains

View Public Notice

On 28 October 2024, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Albuquerque, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Worth, Galveston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Omaha, Rock Island, Sacramento, San Francisco, St. Louis, St. Paul, and Tulsa Districts, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Regions 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 jointly announce the availability of the Regional Streamflow Duration Assessment Methods (Regional SDAMs) for the Arid West, Western Mountains and Great Plains. The methods are rapid assessment tools for distinguishing between ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streamflow at the reach scale for the Arid West, Western Mountains and Great Plains regions.

9 October 2024 - The USACE Antecedent Precipitation Tool (APT) is Temporarily Down

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), headquartered in Asheville, NC, has been affected by Hurricane Helene. The NCEI data center is currently shut down. NOAA NCEI’s network service provider is also currently down, and at this point, there is no definitive timeline for when it will be fully operational. Because NOAA’s precipitation data are not currently available, the USACE Antecedent Precipitation Tool (APT), which relies on the NOAA data, is not currently operational. The APT Team is aware of this issue and therefore there is no need to submit additional error reports to the APT Team.

There is currently no anticipated timeline for getting NOAA’s servers back up-and-running, and there are no alternative data sources to fill the data gaps that would provide an immediate restoration of the APT. However, practitioners may use the manual procedures described in Chapter 5 of the Regional Supplements to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual and Chapter 19 of NRCS’ Engineering Field Handbook.

USACE will continue to monitor and coordinate with NOAA. Practitioners may also check the following webpage for updates from NOAA: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/latest-on-hurricane-helenes-impacts-on-noaas-national-centers-for-environmental-information

15 May 2024 - Permit Applications Can Now Be Submitted  Via RRS!

USACE is pleased to announce that the new national online application portal and management platform, known as the Regulatory Request System (RRS) now includes an electronic submission option for permit applications. This platform has been introduced to modernize our permit application process and to address our users' expectations by providing a straightforward and transparent process for the submittal of permit requests.

RRS is a web-based platform currently in a beta version that enables users to submit pre-application meeting requests, jurisdictional determination requests, and now applications for individual and general permits. This new system aims to streamline the process, improve efficiency, and provide a more user-friendly experience for our applicants.

We believe that RRS will not only benefit our users by simplifying the application process but will also enhance our ability to effectively manage and review permit requests. We are confident that this modernization initiative will lead to improved customer satisfaction and greater overall efficiency within our Regulatory Program.

We encourage users to explore and utilize the new Regulatory Request System to take advantage of its benefits and features. Watch this 90 second promo for detials: https://youtu.be/qY-PPNw5Wic?si=WGgya0RE9nCt8h0G and visit rrs.usace.army.mil today!

For additional information on or to provide feedback on RRS, please contact us using the following email: rrs@usace.army.mil.

Historical Regulatory Hot Topics

Important Information on the Department of the Army Permitting Process and use of Nationwide Permits in the San Jacinto Waste Pits

Updated Jurisdictional Delineation GPS Procedures

To improve the customer service experience, the Regulatory Division has now established a Regulatory Hotline at 409-766-3869

Dear Applicant,

Many proposed activities located near waters of the United States, including wetland areas, require a signed Department of the Army permit prior to the initiation of the project. To facilitate obtaining the necessary pemit, an application form and instruction sheets, with sample project plans, are found below. These materials outline the required submittals to our office and are provided for your use.

We have also included information regarding state approval of your proposal. Please note that the State of Texas has separate requirements for "structures" placed on or over submerged public lands. Should you have any questions regarding these requirements, please contact the appropriate state office directly.

The Regulatory Program has been established to protect the water resources of the United States. While considering your application for a permit, we will evaluate the probable impact of your proposed activity on the public interest, weighing the expected benefits that might be expected to accrue against reasonably foreseeable detriments. Concise project plans will certainly assists us in this evaluation. We also request, and consider, the views of other agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The foundations for this program are laws passed by Congress, principally Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, as amended. Within the framework of the applicable laws, it is our intention to make this program as responsive to the desires and needs of the public as possible.

To this end, we stand ready to assist you with our program in any way we can. Please do not hesitate to call the Regulatory Branch at 409-766-3869. To assist us in improving our service to you, please complete the customer service survey.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Laskowski, P.G.
Chief, Regulatory Division