Final Notice of Issuance, Reissuance, and Modification of Nationwide Permits

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The Corps of Engineers is reissuing the existing nationwide permits (NWP) and conditions, some with modifications, and issuing two new NWPs. As with all general permits, NWPs include specific project limitations which ensure that adverse effects will be no more than minimal and that the aquatic environment will be protected. At the same time, if a permit applicant can design a project in a way that meets the limitations of the NWP, the Corps will provide an expedited review and decision for the project. General permits, including NWPs, are an essential part of the Corps regulatory program, and provide us with the method we use to authorize 80% of the activities we regulate. An effective NWP program is essential to administration of the Corps regulatory program. The Corps, however, is increasingly aware of the concerns regarding the level of adverse effects being authorized by NWPs, particularly NWP 26. As a result, we have taken a critical look at the NWP program to better ensure that projects that truly have minimal impacts will continue to be authorized, while ensuring that only minimal individual and cumulative adverse effects will result from the Corps authorizing projects unde