The Regulatory Branch in the New Orleans District’s Operations Division is responsible for administering the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Regulatory Program in southern Louisiana .
The Corps’ Regulatory Program is one of the oldest in the Federal Government. It began in 1890 with a fairly simple, straightforward purpose of protecting and maintaining the nations navigable waterways. Since the 1960’s, this purpose has been broadened so that it now considers the full public interest for both the protection and utilization of water resources.
The regulatory authorities and responsibilities of the Corps’ Regulatory Program are based on the following laws:
• Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) prohibits the obstruction or alteration of navigable waters of the United States without a permit from the Corps.
• Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344). Section 301 of this Act prohibits the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States without a permit from the Corps.
• Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1413) authorizes the Corps to issue permits for the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of dumping it into ocean waters.
Other regulations/laws may also affect the processing of applications for Corps permits. Among these are 33 USC Section 408, National Environmental Policy Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Deepwater Port Act, the Federal Power Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the National Fishing Enhancement Act of 1984.