USACE announced it is seeking input from all interested parties on ways to increase the efficiency of the nationwide permit program. A public notice soliciting input on potential future changes to the nationwide permits was published in the March 16, 2026, Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-05051. USACE will accept written comments through May 15, 2026. Comments should be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov at docket number COE-2026-0001, or by mail to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CECW-CO-R, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced today the publication in the Federal Register of the 2026 Nationwide Permits (NWPs). The 56 reissued and one new 2026 NWPs in the rule are necessary for work in streams, wetlands and other waters of the United States under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today that it will reissue 56 existing nationwide permits and issue one new permit for work in wetlands and other waters that are regulated by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. One existing permit will not be reissued. 

Click here to view a news release from USACE Regulatory Headquarters with additional information. 

Draft Regional Sediment Evaluation Team (RSET) Issue Paper No. 2025-01, "Revision of PCB Target Tissue Level for Juvenile Salmonids" for the 2018 Sediment Evaluation Framework for the Pacific Northwest (SEF)

The Department of the Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced we are seeking comments on an interim final rule that establishes new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations at Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 333 for the USACE Regulatory Program and the USACE Section 408 Program. The interim final rule became effective on July 3, 2025 for Regulatory Program permit applications and Section 408 permission requests submitted to the USACE on or after July 3, 2025. The new USACE NEPA implementing procedures at 33 CFR 333 replace the Corps Regulatory Program’s previous NEPA implementing procedures at 33 CFR 325, appendix B.

A public notice soliciting comments on the interim final rule was published in the July 3, 2025, Federal Register at

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/03/2025-12360/procedures-for-implementing-nepa-processing-of-department-of-the-army-permits. Department of the Army and USACE will accept written comments through August 4, 2025. Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov at docket number COE-2025-0006.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced today that it has prepared its proposal to renew and revise 56 of 57 existing nationwide permits for work in wetlands and other waters that are regulated by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. USACE will propose not to reissue one nationwide permit authorizing activities associated with finfish mariculture.

USACE will also propose to issue one new nationwide permit that pertains to authorizing activities to facilitate fish passage. 

A prepublication copy of the proposal has been posted on the USACE website at: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/National-Notices-and-Program-Initiatives/ 

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register by the end of June and will be announced in a separate news release. The public comment period will not begin until the proposal is published in the Federal Register. The news release and Federal Register Notice will provide information on how public comments should be submitted.

The nationwide permits authorize activities that are similar in nature and cause only minimal adverse environmental impacts to aquatic resources separately or on a cumulative basis. Activities range from work associated with aids to navigation and utility lines to residential developments and maintenance activities.

Following the public comment period, USACE will review the comments received and prepare final nationwide permits that will replace the current set. Sixteen of the current nationwide permits went into effect March 15, 2021, and 41 went into effect Feb. 25, 2022. All the current nationwide permits are set to expire March 14, 2026.

Additional information about the USACE Regulatory Program can be found at: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/.  

Last year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers introduced its new Regulatory Request System (RRS), an online application portal that allows the public to submit permit applications and other information when requesting permission to dredge, fill or conduct activities in jurisdictional wetlands and waters of the U.S.

RRS is accessible at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs.

RRS users can submit individual permit applications, general permit pre-construction notifications, jurisdictional determination requests, and other information needed during the permit evaluation process using easy-to-follow online submission forms. Applicants can also track the status of their requests using a user-friendly dashboard.   

However, at this time the RRS system does not accept the Idaho Joint Application Permit Form.  The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), and Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) has established a joint process for activities impacting jurisdictional waterways that require review and/or approval of both the Corps and the State of Idaho. We encourage applicants to continue to use the Idaho Joint Application for Permit in the interim. 

Click the link below to be taken to the Idaho Joint Permit Application:

 Joint Application for Permit  (For Idaho applicants only).

RRS benefits the applicant by eliminating the burden associated with the preparation and mailing of paper applications. It also reduces some of the effort associated with processing applications and data entry making the permitting process more efficient. Click here to learn more about the benefits of RRS (RRS Testimonial Video).

For more information on the USACE Regulatory Program visit https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/.

For further details or to provide feedback about the RRS, please contact USACE at rrs@usace.army.mil.

USACE is pleased to announce that the new national online application portal and management platform, known as the Regulatory Request System (RRS) now includes an electronic submission option for permit applications. This platform has been introduced to modernize our permit application process to address our users' expectations by providing a straightforward and transparent process for the submittal of permit requests.

RRS is a web-based platform currently in a beta version that enables users to submit pre-application meeting requests, jurisdictional determination requests, and now applications for individual and general permits. This new system aims to streamline the process, improve efficiency, and provide a more user-friendly experience for our applicants.     

At this time the RRS system does not accept the Idaho Joint Application Permit Form.  The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR), and Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) has established a joint process for activities impacting jurisdictional waterways that require review and/or approval of both the Corps and the State of Idaho. The Stream Application Alteration Permit is the same application as the Walla Walla District Corps of Engineers 404 Joint Application. You only need to fill out the application once; you can send the same copy to all agencies as needed. 

We encourage applicants to continue to use the Idaho Joint Application for Permit in the interim, please visit Walla Walla District > Business With Us > Regulatory Division > Joint Application for Permit (army.mil) for information for applying for a permit.

Click the link below to be taken to the Idaho Joint Permit Application:

 Joint Application for Permit 

We encourage users to explore and utilize the new Regulatory Request System to take advantage of its benefits and features. The RRS link is rrs.usace.army.mil

For additional information on or to provide feedback on RRS, please contact USACE using the following email: rrs@usace.army.mil. 

USACE announces the launch of its new Regulatory Request System (RRS). RRS is designed to make the review of permit requests a transparent and efficient process for the public. RRS, currently in a beta version, provides general information on the Regulatory Program and allows the public to submit pre-application meeting requests and jurisdictional determination requests.

Additional capability is scheduled in Spring 2024. This added capability will allow users the ability to electronically submit individual and general permit applications and other necessary information, saving time and reducing the need for paper-based submissions.

RRS will streamline the permit application process and underscores USACE commitment to modernizing our application process, meeting user expectations, and providing a transparent, straightforward process for the timely review of permit requests.

Stay tuned for further updates on the full release of the RRS. Please click on the following link to access RRS: rrs.usace.army.mil

For additional information on or to provide feedback on RRS, please contact the rrs@usace.army.mil.

On December 30, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) announced the final "Revised Definition of 'Waters of the United States'" rule. On January 18, 2023, the rule was published in the Federal Register; the rule will be effective on March 20, 2023. The agencies developed this rule with consideration of the relevant provisions of the Clean Water Act and the statute as a whole, relevant Supreme Court case law, and the agencies’ technical expertise after more than 45 years of implementing the longstanding pre-2015 “waters of the United States” framework. This rule also considers the best available science and extensive public comment to establish a definition of “waters of the United States” that supports public health, environmental protection, agricultural activity, and economic growth. More information about the final rule is available at: https://www.epa.gov/wotus/revising-definition-waters-united-states.