CHAPTER 3: CORPS OF ENGINEERS WETLANDS PROGRAM

Transcription

1 CHAPTER3:CORPSOFENGINEERSWETLANDSPROGRAM I. PERMITRESPONSIBILITY TheDepartmentoftheArmyRegulatoryProgramisoneoftheoldestprogramsinthefederalgovernment. Initially,theRegulatoryDivisionservedafairlysimple,straightforwardpurpose:toprotectandmaintain thenavigablecapacityofthenation swaters,undersection10oftheriversandharborsactof1899.in 1972,theCleanWaterActwassignedintolaw,andtheDepartmentoftheArmywasdirectedtoadminister Section404oftheAct,whichregulatesthedischargeofdredgedand/orfillmaterialinwatersoftheUnited States.In1977,theU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineersjurisdictionincludedwetlandsaspartof watersofthe U.S. The Corps of Engineers responsibility to regulate discharges of dredged and/or fill material in wetlands include the wetlands of the Municipality of Anchorage.This chapter is limited to freshwater wetlands becausetheanchoragewetlandsmanagementplanfocusesonlyonfreshwaterwetlandsnotassociated withstateparklands,nationalforestlands,andmostmilitarylands. ThroughtheRegulatoryProgram,theCorpsofEngineersensuresthatenvironmentalimpactsonaquatic resources from permitted projects are avoided, minimized or mitigated. The Corps of Engineers is dedicated to protecting Alaska s waters while allowing reasonable and necessary development to move forward. The decision whether to issue a permit is based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest.that decision reflects the national concernforbothprotectionandutilizationofimportantresources.thebenefitthatreasonablymaybe expectedtoresultfromtheproposalmustbebalancedagainstitsreasonable,foreseeabledetriments. Allfactorswhichmayberelevanttotheproposalareconsidered.Thosefactorsinclude,butarenotlimited to: Conservationofwetlands recreation aesthetics watersupply economics waterquality generalenvironmentalconcerns energyneeds historicvalues safety flooddamageprevention foodproduction landuse in general, the needs and welfare of the navigation people ItshouldbeemphasizedthatapermitissuedbytheCorpsofEngineersunderSection404authorizesonly theplacement(discharge)ofdredgedorfillmaterialintowatersoftheu.s.,includingwetlands.however, the applicant for a permit must specify the purpose and need for that discharge.apermitee may not changetheuseofhisorherfillwithoutpermissionfromthecorpsofengineers. Anchorage Wetlands Management Plan Public Hearing Draft Page 17

2 TypicalactivitiesinwatersoftheU.S.requiringauthorizationunderSection404include: Dischargingdredgedand/orfillmaterial; Sitedevelopment fillforresidential,commercialorrecreationalprojects,including mechanizedlandclearing; Constructionofbreakwaters,levees,dams,dikesandweirs; Placementofriprap;and Roadfills. Certain types of work have been exempted from the permit requirement by the Clean Water Act. However,theseactivitiesareexemptonlyiftheydonotchangetheuseofwatersoftheUnitedStates,do notalterthefloworcirculationofwatersoftheu.s.,anddonotreducethereachofsuchwatersoftheu.s. TheseexemptionsareoutlinedinSection404(f)oftheCleanWaterAct. There are three types of permits that the Corps of Engineers issues under Section 404 within the Municipality of Anchorage.These include Individual Permits, Regional General Permits, and Nationwide Permits.Though a project may qualify for use of a Regional General Permit or Nationwide Permit as describedbelow,ifitisexpectedtherewillbemodificationsanddesignchangesthroughoutthelifeofa project, the applicant should request an Individual Permit as Regional General Permits and Nationwide Permitscannotbemodified. A. INDIVIDUALPERMIT IndividualPermitsareissuedfollowingafullpublicinterestreviewofanindividualapplicationforaSection 404permit.Apublicnotice(usually30daysinlength)isdistributedtoallknowninterestedparties.The permit decision is generally based on the outcome of a public interest balancing process, in which the benefitsoftheprojectareweighedagainstthedetriments.apermitwillbegrantedunlesstheproposalis foundtobecontrarytothepublicinterestorfailstocomplywiththeenvironmentalprotectionagency s CleanWaterAct,Section404(b)(1)Guidelines.The404(b)(1)GuidelinesallowtheCorpsofEngineersto permitonlytheleastenvironmentallydamagingpracticablealternative.apracticablealternativeismore feasibleorcapableofbeingimplemented. B. REGIONALGENERALPERMITS Regional General Permits are issued by the Corps of Engineers, Alaska District Engineer for a general category of activities when theactivitiesare similar in nature and cause minimal environmental impact, bothindividuallyandcumulatively. TheCorpsreissuedfiveRegionalGeneralPermitsintheMunicipalityofAnchorageonApril15,2010,which coverpermittingin C designatedwetlandsasclassifiedintheanchoragewetlandsmanagementplan. Depending on the specifics of the project, opinions of compliance for regulated activities under these Regional General Permits have been administered by the Municipality of Anchorage s Community DevelopmentDepartmentorverifiedbytheCorps.RegionalGeneralPermitsaregenerallyissuedfor5year periods.thecurrentregionalgeneralpermitsforthemunicipalityofanchoragewillexpireonapril15, 2015.SincetheRegionalGeneralPermitsexpireevery5years,itisimportanttoensurethelatestRegional General Permits are reviewed for eligibility of projects.copies of the current version can be obtained throughthemunicipalityofanchorage scommunitydevelopmentdepartmentorthecorpsofengineers. Notethatverificationsissuedforparticularprojectsaregoodforonlytwoyears.Forfurtherdetailsonthe Municipality sroleinadministeringthegp,seechapter5,sectionii.b.generalpermitimplementation. Anchorage Wetlands Management Plan Public Hearing Draft Page 18

3 C. NATIONWIDEPERMITS NationwidePermits(NWP)authorizespecificactivitiesinareasundertheCorpsofEngineersregulatory jurisdiction.these activities are minor in scope and must result in no more than minimal adverse impacts, when considered individually or cumulatively.individuals wishing to perform work under a NWP must ensure their project meets all applicable terms and conditions, including the regional conditionsspecifictoalaska.thecorpsofengineerswillverifythis,afterreceiptofapreconstruction Notification (PCN).Verifications issued for particular projects are good for only two years.if the conditionsofthenwpcannotbemet,aregionalgeneralpermitorindividualpermitwillberequired. CertainNWPsdonotrequireapreconstructionnotification;however,thepartyperformingtheactivity muststillcomplywiththeconditionsofthenwp.alistofallnwpscurrentlyauthorizedbythecorpsof Engineers,aswellasassociatedregionalandgeneralconditions,canbefoundat: Additional details and specific conditions of verification are available from the Corps of Engineers local officeinanchorage. D. LETTERSOFPERMISSION Letters of Permission (LOP) is analternate form of authorization used in a certain prescribed situations. LOPsarelessfrequentlyusedastheyapplyonlytoSection10structuresandonlytocertainactivities,not fillplacement.theyareusedwhentheproposedworkwouldbeminor,nothavesignificantindividualor cumulativeimpactsonenvironmentalvalues,andwouldencounternoappreciableopposition.foranlop, theproposaliscoordinatedwithallconcernedfishandwildlifeagenciesandadjacentpropertyownerswho mightbeaffected,butthepublicatlargeisnotnotified.however,considerationofthepublicinterestis central to the decisionmaking process. As a local example, the use of LOPs in Anchorage have been primarilyfordockstructuresconstructedincampbelllake. II. WETLANDSDETERMINATIONRESPONSIBILITY TheCorps regulationspertainingtotheissuanceofsection404permitsidentifieswetlandsaspartofthe watersoftheu.s.overwhichthecorpshasjurisdiction.thecorpsandepadefinewetlandsasthoseareas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support,andthatundernormalcircumstancesdosupport,aprevalenceofvegetationtypicallyadaptedfor life in saturated soil conditions.wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas. Somewetlands,suchasswampsormarshes,areoftenobvious,butothertypessuchasforestedwetlands, maynotbeeasilyrecognizedbecausetheycanbedryduringpartoftheyearordonotappeartobewetat thesurface. To delineate wetlands based upon this definition, a scientific process is followed using the Corps of EngineersWetland Delineation Manual (1987) and the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers WetlandDelineationManual:AlaskaRegion,Version2.0(COE,2007).Onlyifanareaexhibitspositive criteriaforwetlandplants,soilsandhydrology(threeparameters)isitdeterminedtobeawetlandunder theregulatoryprogram. Useofthisthreeparameterapproachallowsanaccurateidentificationanddelineationofwetlands.For everyprojectinanareathatmaybewetlands,thecorpsisresponsibleforidentifyingoftheareaaseither wetlandornonwetlandasfarastheneedforobtainingasection404permitisconcerned. Anchorage Wetlands Management Plan Public Hearing Draft Page 19

4 Onceanareaisidentifiedasawetland(delineated),theCorpsmustdetermineifsiteisjurisdictional,and thenwhethertheproposeddischargeiscoveredunderaregionalgeneralpermit,anationwidepermit,or requiresanindividualpermit.additionalinformationregardingthepurposeandneedoftheproject,as wellasthesize,isrequiredbeforedeterminationcanbemadeconcerningthetypeofpermittheproject mayfallunder. III. CORPSOFENGINEERS404PERMITPROCESS ThefollowingsummarizestheprocessinvolvedintheCorpsRegulatoryProgram: 1. Awetlanddelineationiscompleteandtheareaisidentifiedaswetlandsornon wetlands. The Corps completes a further review to confirm that the wetland is jurisdictional(jurisdictionaldetermination). 2. Ifawetland,theproposedprojectwillbereviewedsoadeterminationastothe appropriatetypeofpermitevaluationcanbemade. 3. When there is a proposed fill project in wetlands within the Municipality of Anchorage,theCorpsencouragesapreapplicationmeetingwiththeapplicantat whichtheprojectispresentedtotheresourceagenciesresponsibleforthesection 404 review. Wetland values and functions, alternative sites, as well as ways of avoiding,minimizing,andcompensatingforpotentialwetlandlossesarediscussed and explained at this preapplication meeting.the applicant should consider redesigninghisorherproposaltorespondtothoseconcerns. 4. TheapplicantmaythensubmittotheCorpsacompletepermitapplication,which includesamitigationplanforagencyreview. 5. If an Individual Permit is required, an application for a Section 404 permit is evaluated. If the discharge is covered by a Regional General Permit or a Nationwide Permit, generally a preconstruction notification is required.in all cases,discretionaryauthorityisretainedbythealaskadistrictengineertorequire anindividualpermitreview. 6. Thereviewperiodcommences,anddependingontheevaluation,mayincludea general permit agency coordination notice or a public notice.at that time, the applicanthastheoptiontorespondtovariousincomingcommentsinthereview period and alter the design if necessary.the resource agencies submit final comments to the Corps based on their agency mandate.the Corps develops a decision document that complies with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),andservesasthebasisforpermitdenialorissuance.Permitconditions including mitigation requirements may be added to bring an action into compliance with Section 404. The applicant receives notice of final permit issuanceordenialshortlythereafter.anyappealafterpermitdenialmustgoto thecorps. NOTE: Generally, permits for the placement of dredged and/or fill material into wetlands designated A will not be issued. The only exceptions will be to permit those activities in A designated wetlands, which would enhance, restore, or preserve the natural character of the wetlands, or projects with substantive public benefit, as determined by the Alaska District Engineer. Anchorage Wetlands Management Plan Public Hearing Draft Page 20

5 Figure A Permit Process MOA Designated Wetlands: Mapped/Designated by MOA (A, B, C, D, P) Wetlands Not Designated and/or mapped by MOA A,B C D,P Corps of Engineers Jurisdictional Determination Required Contact Corps of Engineers to determine which permit is applicable General Permit Not Applicable Nationwide Permit, Individual Permit or Letter of Permission application received by COE General Permit Applicable Contact MOA- Community Development Department for GP application Jurisdictional Wetlands Delineation RequiredMap wetland boundaries Contact Corps of Engineers to determine type of permit applicable Non-Jurisdictional: No Wetland Permit Required Consult with MOA for appropriate design considerations under Municipal Regulations: Land Use, Fill/Grade and Building Permits Agency Consultation/ Review Nationwide Permit, Individual Permit or Letter of Permission application received by COE Wetland Permit Issued Anchorage Wetlands Management Plan Public Hearing Draft Page 21

6 Anchorage Wetlands Management Plan Public Hearing Draft Page 22