SOLICITATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE PROGRAMMATIC GENERAL PERMIT FOR USE IN THE NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE LOUISIANA COASTAL ZONE
The U. S. Army, Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District (CEMVN), in coordination and cooperation with the following regulatory and resource agencies:
State of Louisiana, Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management,
State of Louisiana, Department of Environmental Quality,
State of Louisiana, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
United States Environmental Protection Agency,
United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,
United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service,
proposes re-issuance of the Programmatic General Permit (PGP) for use in that portion of CEMVN that lies within the Louisiana Coastal Zone.
A programmatic general permit is a type of general permit that authorizes projects that are also regulated by another federal, state, tribal, or local agency. In this case, the State of Louisiana, Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management is the other regulatory agency.
In development of the proposed general permit, CEMVN and the aforementioned agencies reviewed the existing abbreviated procedures for project authorization which include CEMVN regional general permits, nationwide permits and Letters of Permission, for type and scope of activity eligible for authorization. The enclosed proposed PGP consists primarily of consolidation of these activities and includes expansion of scope in some instances. CEMVN and the coordinating agencies anticipate a reduction in the complexity of the regulatory process for the general public while maintaining an equivalent level of protection for the aquatic environment and the public interest.