Comment period extension for Rapanos Guidance
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Regulatory Program Overview
The mission of the Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program is to protect
the nation’s aquatic resources, while allowing reasonable development through
fair, flexible and balanced permit decisions. The Corps evaluates permit applications
for essentially all construction activities that occur in the nation’s waters,
including wetlands.Corps permits are also necessary for any work, including construction
and dredging, in the Nation’s navigable waters. The Corps balances the reasonably
foreseeable benefits and detriments of proposed projects, and makes permit decisions
that recognize the essential values of the nation’s aquatic ecosystems to the
general public, as well as the property rights of private citizens who want to
use their land. During the permit process, the Corps considers the views of other
Federal, state and local agencies, interest groups, and the general public. The
results of this careful public interest review are fair and equitable decisions
that allow reasonable use of private property, infrastructure development, and
growth of the economy, while offsetting the authorized impacts to the waters of
the US. The adverse impacts to the aquatic environment are offset by mitigation
requirements, which may include restoring, enhancing, creating and preserving
aquatic functions and values. The Corps strives to make its permit decisions in
a timely manner that minimizes impacts to the regulated public.
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"Regulatory
Program Value to the Nation" is a brochure which describes how the
Corps of Engineers applies the nation's clean water laws and regulations
toensure that environmental impacts on aquatic resources are avoided, minimized.
or mitigated. The Corps of Engineers is dedicated to protecting the nation's
aquatic resources while allowing reasonable and necessary development. |
Authorities
Provisions written in three
federal laws give responsibility to the Corps of Engineers to assess and control
the impacts of human activities within specific water resource areas in the United
States. These laws are the:
Congress’ objective is to protect
waterway navigation and the quality of surface water and ocean habitat. Two of
these laws are applicable to the Tulsa District -- the Rivers and Harbors Act
and the Clean Water Act. Additional
clarification of these authorities is provided in the program's implementing regulations
(33
CFR 320-331).
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