The Department of the Army's Regulatory Program is one of the oldest in the federal government. Initially, it served a simple purpose: to protect and maintain the navigable capacity of the nation's waters. Changing public needs, evolving policy, court decisions and new statutory mandates have changed several aspects of the program including its breadth, complexity and authority.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), through the Regulatory Program, administers and enforces
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA) and
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under RHA Section 10, a permit is required for work or structures in, over or under navigable waters of the United States. Under CWA Section 404, a permit is required for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States. Many waterbodies and wetlands in the nation are waters of the United States and are subject to the USACE regulatory authority.
The Mission of the USACE Regulatory Program is to protect the Nation’s aquatic resources, while allowing reasonable development through fair, flexible and balanced permit decisions.
The Savannah District's (Corps) goals are to provide strong protection of the Nation’s aquatic environment, including wetlands, enhance the efficiency of the Corps administration of its regulatory program, and to ensure that the Corps provides the regulated public with fair and reasonable decisions.