JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announced today it has authority to issue alternative/emergency permitting procedures in response to conditions resulting from Hurricane Irma and recent heavy rains in south Florida.
These alternate procedures will be effective for a six-month period. A Corps-issued public notice announcing these alternative/emergency procedures in response to Hurricane Irma and recent rainfall in south Florida can be found by visiting http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Public-Notices/.
The alternative/emergency procedures are used to authorize actions or work that is considered to be emergencies, which may include, but not limited to the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters for the United States, and work in navigable waters of the United States to include dredging to restore navigation and relieve flooding; stabilization of eroded shorelines; repair and replacement of authorized structures including docks and bulkheads; installing temporary utility lines and access roads; replacing existing roads and bridges; installing water intake structures, and removal and disposal of debris in waters.
The Corps of Engineers regulations define an emergency as a situation, which would result in an unacceptable hazard to life, a significant loss of property or an immediate, unforeseen, and significant economic hardship if corrective action requiring a permit is not undertaken within a time period less than the normal time needed to process the application under standard procedures.
To view Florida Gov. Scott’s Declaration of Emergency, issued Sept. 4 visit: http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/SLG-BIZHUB17090402490.pdf
To view the President’s Emergency Declaration for Puerto Rico, issued Sept. 5 visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/05/president-donald-j-trump-approves-puerto-rico-emergency-declaration
To view the President’s Emergency Declaration for the U.S. Virgin Islands, issued Sept. 6 visit:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/07/president-donald-j-trump-approves-us-virgin-islands-disaster-declaration
To view the Florida Department of Environmental Protection State of Emergency response to heavy rainfall in south Florida, visit: www.dep.state.fl.us/legal/Final_Orders/2017/17-0867.pdf
The Corps is neither a proponent nor opponent of any proposed project. The Corps’ mission is to provide the regulated public with fair and reasonable decisions while providing protection of the Nation’s aquatic resources and navigation.
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