Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/01/28/2013-01655/nationwide-permit-program
Timestamp: 2017-05-25 14:40:49
Document Index: 620519338

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', 'art 330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', 'art1', 'art 330', 'art2', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', 'art3', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', 'art4', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330', '§\u2009330']

:: Nationwide Permit Program
A Rule by the Engineers Corps on 01/28/2013
2013-01655
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-01655
Mr. David Olson at 202-761-4922 or by email at david.b.olson@usace.army.mil, or access the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Home Page at http://www.usace.army.mil/​Missions/​CivilWorks/​RegulatoryProgramandPermits.aspx.
1. In § 330.1(e)(1) and § 330.4(c)(6) and (d)(6), we proposed to change the PCN review period from 30 days to 45 days, to conform with the length of the PCN review period that has been in use for certain NWPs since 1996. On June 7, 2000, the 45-day PCN review period was applied to all NWPs requiring pre-construction notification (see 65 FR 12818). The 45-day PCN review period is found in the “pre-construction Start Printed Page 5727notification” general condition of the NWPs (currently general condition 31).
2. In § 330.6(a)(3)(ii) we proposed to change the length of time an NWP verification would be valid from two years to the expiration date of the NWP.
We have revised our RFA analysis to better explain the impacts of the final rule on small entities. The RFA analysis is provided below in the “Administrative Requirements” section of this preamble. We do not agree that it is necessary to incorporate the 30-day completeness review into § 330.1(e)(1) for this rule to have an insubstantial impact on small entities. The 30-day completeness review is currently addressed through the terms of general condition 31 (pre-construction notification) of the 2012 NWPs, as published in the February 21, 2012, issue of the Federal Register.
Changing the PCN review period in 33 CFR part 330 from 30 days to 45 days will make the NWP regulation consistent with the “pre-construction notification” general condition for the current NWPs. It should also be noted that the 2007 and 2012 NWPs were promulgated as rules under the Administrative Procedures Act. By establishing the same time frames in the NWPs and their governing regulations, this amendment will also help ensure consistent interpretation and implementation of the NWP terms and conditions and the NWP regulations.
For example, the promulgation of regulations in 1997 and 2002 to implement the essential fish habitat provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act has resulted in an additional consultation requirement for many activities authorized by Corps permits. As another example, the Advisory Counsel on Historic Preservation issued revised regulations in 2000 and 2004 Start Printed Page 5728that govern Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which has resulted in changes in processing procedures for DA permits under interim guidance issued by the Corps on April 25, 2005, and January 31, 2007.
This amendment will have no effect on program efficiency since 45-day PCN review period has been part of the NWP program since 1996. This rule does not affect the reporting required under the Start Printed Page 57292001 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act.
One commenter objected to the proposed amendment, and stated that the Corps should pursue available means to streamline consultations required by other Federal statutes, such as the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act cited as an example in the preamble to the proposed rule. This commenter said that the EFH regulations provide mechanisms to reduce administrative burdens on Federal agencies through programmatic consultations and general concurrences, to streamline the consultation process for classes of similar projects. These mechanisms could be used to conduct EFH consultations within the PCN review period stated in § 330.1(e)(1).
The amendment to section 330.4(c)(6) does not affect the provisional verification process for NWP activities that require individual water quality certification, or the process for incorporating water quality certification conditions into an NWP authorization. It only changes the PCN review period to 45 days to be consistent with the 45 day review period in the NWP “pre-construction notification” general condition. Regulatory Guidance Letter 92-04 provides guidance on incorporating water quality certification conditions into NWP authorizations. That guidance discusses, from the Corps perspective, what constitutes unacceptable conditions in water quality certifications and Coastal Zone Management Act consistency concurrences. Regulatory Guidance Letter 92-04 is available on the Internet at: http://www.usace.army.mil/​Portals/​2/​docs/​civilworks/​RGLS/​rgl92-04.pdf.
In the November 30, 2004, proposed rule we proposed to amend § 330.6(a)(3)(ii) to allow district engineers to issue NWP verifications that are valid until the date the NWP expires, instead of requiring verifications to expire in two years or less. An NWP verification provides confirmation that a particular activity is authorized by NWP. This amendment will help promote administrative efficiency by eliminating the two year limit for NWP verifications, so that it will not be necessary for district engineers to reverify an NWP authorization when the permittee has not completed the authorized work within two years of the issuance of the NWP verification letter.
Many commenters expressed general support for proposed amendment of § 330.6(a)(3)(ii). One commenter noted that under the proposed rule, district engineers have the discretion to issue NWP verifications for any specified time period, but generally the verification would have the same expiration date as the NWP.
As discussed above, the final rule contains flexibility for district engineers to establish expiration dates for NWP verifications, but in most cases the expiration date for an NWP verification letter will be the same as the expiration Start Printed Page 5730date for the applicable NWP(s). The first sentence of § 330.6(a)(3)(ii) states that an NWP verification should be valid “generally until the expiration date of the NWP.” The amendment of § 330.6(a)(3)(ii) does not affect § 330.6(b). Section 330.6(b) of the NWP regulations provides up to 12 months to complete an NWP activity after the NWP expires, as long as that activity has commenced or is under contract to commence by the date the NWP expires. If an NWP verification letter is to be issued near the expiration date of the applicable NWP(s), the district engineer may inform the permittee of the availability of § 330.6(b) to provide an additional 12 months to complete the authorized activity.
This amendment does not conflict with 33 CFR 330.6(b). The additional year to complete the authorized work in reliance on the previous NWP allows permittees time to complete activities that have begun construction, or are under contract to begin construction. All Corps permits have specific construction periods, and if the project proponent cannot complete construction within those time periods, he or she must either obtain a time extension or a new individual permit or general permit authorization. Since the NWPs cannot be issued for a period of more than five years, the Corps cannot grant time extensions for those NWP activities beyond the 12 months provided in § 330.6(b). If the previous NWP authorization expires and § 330.6(b) does not apply, the Corps will evaluate the proposed activity and determine if it qualifies for authorization under any of the new, modified, or reissued NWPs. If the proposed activity does not qualify for any of the new, modified, or reissued NWPs, then the project proponent needs to obtain an individual permit or a regional general permit authorization.
One commenter requested clarification on how the proposed amendment of § 330.6(a)(3)(ii) would affect situations where the NWP is revoked, modified, or expired during Start Printed Page 5731the time period specified in the verification letter.
After considering the economic impacts of this rulemaking on small entities, I certify that this action will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. The ability for district engineers to issue NWP verification letters that have the same expiration date as the NWPs themselves will benefit small entities by providing clarity and reducing paperwork burdens. Amending the NWP regulation to have the same PCN review period as the NWP “pre-construction notification” general condition will also provide clarity and regulatory certainty. This final rule is consistent with current agency practice, does not impose new substantive requirements, and therefore would not Start Printed Page 5732have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
This rule is not a “significant energy action” as defined in Executive Order 13211, “Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use” (66 FR 28355, May Start Printed Page 573322, 2001) because it is not likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy. The final rule updates regulations for implementing the Nationwide Permit Program. The rule is consistent with current agency practice, does not impose new substantive requirements and therefore will not have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy.
Start Amendment Part1. The authority citation for part 330 continues to read as follows:End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part2. Amend § 330.1 by revising paragraph (e)(1) to read as follows:End Amendment Part
§ 330.1 Purpose and policy.
Start Amendment Part3. Amend § 330.4 by revising paragraphs (c)(6) and (d)(6) to read as follows:End Amendment Part
§ 330.4 Conditions, limitations, and restrictions.
Start Amendment Part4. Amend § 330.6 by revising paragraph (a)(3)(ii) to read as follows:End Amendment Part
§ 330.6 Authorization by nationwide permit.
(ii) The DE's response will state that the verification is valid for a specific period of time (generally until the expiration date of the NWP) unless the NWP authorization is modified, suspended, or revoked. The response should also include a statement that the verification will remain valid for the specified period of time, if during that time period, the NWP authorization is reissued without modification or the activity complies with any subsequent modification of the NWP authorization. Furthermore, the response should include a statement that the provisions of § 330.6(b) will apply, if during that period of time, the NWP authorization expires, or is suspended or revoked, or is modified, such that the activity would no longer comply with the terms and conditions of an NWP. Finally, the response should include any known expiration date that would occur during the specified period of time. A period of time less than the amount of time remaining until the expiration date of the NWP may be used if deemed appropriate.