§337.7. Emergency actions. — Inbound Citations

(b) If changes in a previously approved disposal plan for a Corps navigation project warrant re-evaluation under the CWA, the following procedures should be followed by district engineers prior to discharging dredged material into waters of the U.S. except where emergency action as described in § 337.7 of this chapter is required.

(1) A public notice providing opportunity for a public hearing should be issued at the earliest practicable time. The public notification procedures of § 337.1 of this chapter should be followed.

(3) As soon as practicable, the district engineer will request from the state a 401 water quality certification and, if applicable, provide a coastal zone consistency determination for the Corps activity using the procedures of § 336.1(b) (8) and (9), respectively, of this part.

(4) Discharges of dredged material will be evaluated using the guidelines authorized under section 404(b)(1) of the CWA, or using the ODA regulations, where appropriate. If the guidelines alone would prohibit the designation of a proposed discharge site, the economic impact on navigation and anchorage of the failure to use the proposed discharge site will also be considered in evaluating whether the proposed discharge is to be authorized under CWA section 404(b)(2).

(5) The EPA Administrator can prohibit or restrict the use of any defined area as a discharge site under 404(c) whenever he determines, after notice and opportunity for public hearing and after consultation with the Secretary of the Army, that the discharge of such materials into such areas will have an unacceptable adverse effect on municipal water supplies, shellfish beds and fishery areas, wildlife, or recreation areas. Upon notification of the prohibition of a discharge site by the Administrator the district engineer will complete the administrative processing of the proposed project up to the point of signing the Statement of Findings (SOF) or Record of Decision (ROD). The unsigned SOF or ROD along with a report described in § 337.8 of this chapter will be forwarded through the appropriate Division office to the Dredging Division, Office of the Chief of Engineers.

(6) In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Assessment (EA) will be prepared for all Corps of Engineers projects involving the discharge of dredged or fill material, unless such projects are included within a categorical exclusion found at 33 CFR part 230 or addressed within an existing EA or EIS. If a proposed maintenance activity will result in a deviation in the operation and maintenance plan as described in the EA or EIS, the district engineer will determine the need to prepare a new EA, EIS, or supplement. If a new EA, EIS, or supplement is required, the procedures of 33 CFR part 230 will be followed.

(7) If it can be anticipated that related work by other Federal or non-Federal interests will occur in the same area as Corps projects, the district engineer should use all reasonable means to include it in the planning, processing, and review of Corps projects. Related work normally includes, but is not necessarily limited to, maintenance dredging of approach channels and berthing areas connected to Federal navigation channels. The district engineer should coordinate the related work with interested Federal, state, regional, and local agencies and the general public at the same time he does so for the Corps project. The district engineer should ensure that related work meets all substantive and procedural requirements of 33 CFR parts 320 through 330. Documents covering Corps maintenance activities normally should also include an appropriate discussion of ancillary maintenance work. District engineers should assist local interests to obtain from the state any necessary section 401 water quality certification and, if required, the section 307 coastal zone consistency concurrence. The absence of such certification or concurrence by the state or the denial of a Corps permit for related work shall not be cause for delay of the Federal project. Local sponsors will be responsible for funding any related work. If permitting of the related work complies with all legal requirements and is not contrary to the public interest, section 10, 404, and 103 permits normally will be issued by the district engineer in a separate SOF or ROD. Authorization by nationwide or regional general permit may be appropriate. If the related work does not receive a necessary state water quality certification and/or CZMA consistency concurrence, or are determined to be contrary to the public interest the district engineer should re-examine the project viability to ensure that continued maintenance is warranted.

(8) Section 401 of the CWA requires the Corps to seek state water quality certification for dredged material disposal into waters of the U.S. The state certification request must be processed to a conclusion by the state within a reasonable period of time. Otherwise, the certification requirements of section 401 are deemed waived. The district engineer will request water quality certification from the state at the earliest practicable time using the following procedures:

(i) In addition to the Corps section 404 public notice, information and data demonstrating compliance with state water quality standards will be provided to the state water quality certifying agency along with the request for water quality certification. The information and data may be included within the 404(b)(1) evaluation. The district engineer will request water quality certification to be consistent with the maintenance dredging schedule for the project. Submission of the public notice, including information and data demonstrating compliance with the state water quality standards, will constitute a valid water quality certification request pursuant to section 401 of the CWA.

(ii) If the proposed disposal activity may violate state water quality standards, after consideration of disposal site dilution and dispersion, the district engineer will work with the state to acquire data to satisfy compliance with the state water quality standards. The district engineer will use the technical manual “Management Strategy for Disposal of Dredged Material: Contaminant Testing and Controls” or its appropriate updated version as a guide for developing the appropriate tests to be conducted on such dredged material.

(iii) If the state does not take final action on a request for water quality certification within two months from the date of the initial request, the district engineer will notify the state of his intention to presume a waiver as provided by section 401 of the CWA. If the state agency, within the two-month period, requests an extension of time, the district engineer may approve one 30-day extension unless, in his opinion, the magnitude and complexity of the information contained in the request warrants a longer or additional extension period. The total period of time in which the state must act should not exceed six months from the date of the initial request. Waiver of water quality certification can be conclusively presumed after six months from the date of the initial request.

(iv) The procedures of § 337.2 will be followed if the district engineer determines that the state data acquisition requirements exceed those necessary in establishment of the Federal standard.

(9) Section 307 of the CZMA requires that activities subject to the CZMA which a Federal agency conducts or supports be consistent with the Federally approved state management program to the maximum extent practicable. The state is provided a reasonable period of time as defined in § 336.1(b)(9)(iv) to take final action on Federal consistency determinations; otherwise state concurrence can be presumed. The district engineer will provide the state a consistency determination at the earliest practicable time using the following procedures:

(i) The Corps section 404 public notice and any additional information that the district engineer determines to be appropriate will be provided the state coastal zone management agency along with the consistency determination. The consistency determination will consider the maintenance dredging schedule for the project. Submission of the public notice and, as appropriate, any additional information as determined by the district engineer will constitute a valid coastal zone consistency determination pursuant to section 307 of the CZMA.

(ii) If the district engineer decides that a consistency determination is not required for a Corps activity, he may provide the state agency a written determination that the CZMA does not apply.

(iii) The district engineer may provide the state agency a general consistency determination for routine or repetitive activities.

(iv) If the state fails to provide a response within 45 days from receipt of the initial consistency determination, the district engineer will presume state agency concurrence. If the state agency, within the 45-day period, requests an extension of time, the district engineer will approve one 15-day extension unless, in his opinion, the magnitude and complexity of the information contained in the consistency determination warrants a longer or additional extension period. The longer or additional extension period shall not exceed six months from the date of the initial consistency determination.

(v) If the district engineer determines that the state recommendations to achieve consistency to the maximum degree practicable exceed either his authority or funding for a proposed dredging or disposal activity, he will so notify the state coastal zone management agency indicating that the Corps has complied to the maximum extent practicable with the state's coastal zone management program. If the district engineer determines that state recommendations to achieve consistency to the maximum degree practicable do not exceed his authority or funding but, nonetheless, are excessive, he will follow the procedures of § 337.2.

(b) The following procedures will be followed by district engineers for dredged material disposal into ocean waters except where emergency action as described in § 337.7 of this chapter is required.

(1) In accordance with the provisions of section 103 of the ODA, the district engineer should issue a public notice giving opportunity for public hearing, following the procedures described in § 337.1 of this chapter for Corps operation and maintenance activities involving disposal of dredged material in ocean waters, as well as dredged material transported through the territorial sea for ocean disposal.

(a) With the possible exception of emergency actions as discussed in § 337.7, the district engineer should issue a public notice for projects involving the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S. or ocean waters unless the project is authorized by a general permit. Public notices for Corps operation and maintenance activities are normally issued for an indefinite period of time and are not reissued unless changes in the disposal plan warrant re-evaluation under section 404 of the CWA or section 103 of the ODA. The public notice is the primary method of advising all interested parties of Federal projects and of soliciting comments and information necessary to evaluate the probable impact of the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S. or ocean waters. The notice should, therefore, include sufficient information to provide a clear understanding of the nature of the activity and related activities of local interests in order to generate meaningful comments. A single public notice may be used for more than one project in appropriate cases. The notice normally should include the following items:

(2) A general description of the project and a description of the estimated type, composition, and quantity of materials to be discharged, the proposed time schedule for the dredging activity, and the types of equipment and methods of dredging and conveyance proposed to be used.

(3) A sketch showing the location of the project, including depth of water in the area and all proposed discharge sites.

(4) The nature, estimated amount, and frequency of known and anticipated related dredging and discharge to be conducted by others.

(5) A list of Federal, state, and local environmental agencies with whom the activity is being coordinated.

(6) A statement concerning a preliminary determination of the need for and/or availability of an environmental impact statement.

(7) Any other available information which may assist interested parties in evaluating the likely impact of the proposed activity, if any.

(8) A reasonable period of time, normally thirty days but not less than fifteen days from date of mailing except in emergency situations where the procedures of § 337.7 will be followed, within which interested parties may express their views concerning the proposed project.

(9) If the proposed Federal project would occur in the territorial seas or ocean waters, a description of the project's relationship to the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured.

(11) For activities requiring a determination of consistency with an approved state coastal zone management plan, the following information will be included in the notice:

(i) A statement on whether or not the proposed activity will be undertaken in a manner consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the state management program.

(ii) Sufficient information to support the consistency determination to include associated facilities and their coastal zone effect.

(iii) Data and supporting information commensurate with the expected effects of the activity on the coastal zone.

(12) A statement on historic resources, state of present knowledge, likelihood of damage or other adverse effect on such resources, etc.

(14) A statement on evaluation factors to be considered, adapted from that presented at 33 CFR 325.3(b).

(15) The name, address, and telephone number of the Corps employee from whom additional information concerning the project may be obtained.

(16) The signature of the district engineer or his designee on all maintenance dredged material disposal public notices.

(17) For activities regulated under section 103 of the ODA, the following additional information should be integrated into the public notice:

(ii) If the proposed disposal site is not a designated site, a description of the characteristics of the proposed disposal site and an explanation as to why no previously designated disposal site is feasible.

(iv) Existence and documented effects of other authorized disposals that have been made at the disposal area.

(vi) Information on the characteristics and composition of the dredged material, and the following paragraph: