TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has reissued the Programmatic General Permit (PGP) SAJ-96 for minor activities in navigable waters of the United States (U.S.) in Pinellas County, Florida. The reissued SAJ-96 became effective on May 16, 2025, and will expire on May 16, 2030.
To simplify and speed processing of Department of the Army permits for minor, substantially similar activities, the Corps’ Jacksonville District reissued the PGP SAJ-96 to include activities covered under the previous SAJ-96 (Private Single-Family Docks/ Piers and Appurtenances, Minor Structures, Shoreline Stabilization, and Maintenance Dredging at Single-Family Docks/Piers in Pinellas County, Florida).
The reissued SAJ-96 adds the following activities: construction of living shorelines and oyster reefs, and repair and replacement of existing boat ramps. The following activities have been removed from the reissuance: new seawall construction. The reissuance also updates and reorganizes the permit terms and conditions. The reissued SAJ-96 authorizes activities within navigable waters of the U.S. in Pinellas County, not including geographic exclusion areas listed in the permit or areas otherwise excluded by the terms and conditions of the permit.
Pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 U.S.C. § 403) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1344), the following activities are authorized by SAJ-96, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit:
- Single-family residential dock facilities, designed to accommodate not more than four (4) motorized vessel slips, provided any slips in excess of two (2) are limited to personal watercraft (which includes any seawall mounted personal watercraft lifts and davits). This includes normal appurtenances such as boat hoists, boat shelters with open sides, floating docks, stairways, walkways, lower landings, mooring pilings and dolphins. This also includes maintenance, reconfiguration and removal activities.
- Minor structures and modifications within existing, previously authorized multi-slip facilities including commercial marinas, private multi-family docks, and any other similar structures or activities that provide access to the water for multiple (five (5) slips or more) motorized watercraft. This includes normal appurtenances such as boat hoists, boat shelters with open sides, floating docks, stairways, walkways, mooring pilings, dolphins, and maintenance and removal of same. This also includes maintenance, reconfiguration, and removal activities, so long as the activities do not result in dredging, additional slips, dock spaces, or expansion of any kind within waters of Pinellas County.
- Shoreline stabilization activities, including the construction of new rip rap revetments, and repair or replacement of seawalls, bulkheads, backfill, rip rap revetments, and seawall footers for single-family residential properties.
- Construction of living shorelines and oyster reefs in unvegetated, nearshore waters along shorelines.
- Maintenance dredging of existing slips at single-family docks to restore adequate depth for vessel movement. Maintenance dredging is limited to formerly dredged areas that will not result in impacts outside of previously authorized areas.
- Repair and replacement of existing boat ramps at single-family residential properties.
The complete SAJ-96 permit instrument, with all terms and conditions, is located on the Jacksonville District Source Book page under “General Permits” (https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Source-Book/).
QUESTIONS concerning this public notice should be directed to Rachel S. Somerville at
rachel.s.somerville@usace.army.mil, or by telephone at 904-232-1444.