Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Final Notice of Issuance and Modification of Nationwide Permits
AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Final notice.
SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers (Corps) is issuing 5 new Nationwide Permits (NWPs) and modifying 6 existing NWPs to replace NWP 26 which expires on June 5, 2000. The Corps is also modifying nine NWP general conditions and adding two new NWP general conditions. The new NWP general conditions will increase protection of designated critical resource waters and waters of the United States within 100-year floodplains. In December 1996, the Corps decided to replace NWP 26, which authorizes discharges of dredged or fill material into headwaters and isolated waters of the United States, with activity-specific NWPs. The new and modified NWPs authorize many of the same activities that NWP 26 authorized, but the new and modified NWPs are activity-specific, with terms and conditions to ensure that these activities result in minimal adverse effects on the aquatic environment. The new and modified NWPs will substantially increase protection of the aquatic environment, while efficiently authorizing activities with minimal adverse effects on the aquatic environment. The maximum acreage limits of most of the new and modified NWPs is 1/2 acre. Most of the new and modified NWPs require notification to the district engineer for activities that result in the loss of greater than 1/10 acre of waters of the United States. This notice also constitutes the Corps application to States, Tribes, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Section 401 water quality certification (WQC) and Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) consistency determinations. These agencies have 90 days to determine if the new and modified NWPs meet state or Tribal water quality standards and are consistent with state coastal zone management plans.
DATES: The new and modified NWPs and general conditions will become effective on June 5, 2000. The expiration date for NWP 26 is June 5, 2000.
ADDRESSES: HQUSACE, ATTN: CECW-OR, 20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Olson or Mr. Sam Collinson at (202) 761-0199 or access the Corps of Engineers Regulatory Home Page at: http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/functions/cw/cecwo/reg/.