AMWA comments on USACE's proposal to modify and reissue nationwide permits

AMWA submitted comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) November 13 in response to the agency’s proposal to modify and reissue Section 404 general permits, commonly called nationwide permits (NWPs). These permits, authorized under Section 404(e) of the Clean Water Act, cover activities that have “only minimal individual and cumulative adverse environmental effects.” Each NWP authorizes a particular activity across the country and may only be issued for a period of five years. There are currently 52 NWPs, and they authorize a wide variety of activities such as residential developments, utility lines, road crossings, and mining activities.