2 Jun 2023

Minnesota Utility Partners Project

Expiration date: 6/16/2023

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: The purpose of this Special Public Notice is to inform the general public that the St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (District) has decided to accept and expend funds contributed by Great River Energy, a Minnesota cooperative corporation, and Minnesota Power, collectively referred to throughout this notice as the Minnesota Utility Partners. The funds will be used to expedite processing of the Minnesota Utility Partners Department of the Army (DA) permit applications pursuant to Clean Water Act Section 404 (13 U.S.C. 1344) and/or Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10 (33 U.S.C. 403).

24 May 2023

UPDATE OF THE JOINT 2013 GUIDELINES FOR WETLAND COMPENSATORY MITIGATION IN WISCONSIN

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District (Corps) recently began an update of the joint 2013 Guidelines for Wetland Compensatory Mitigation in Wisconsin. We have developed draft outlines for the next version and are seeking public input on the outlines as well as additional information we should consider addressing in the next version. To facilitate meaningful comment, we are also seeking individuals who are currently active in the development or use of compensatory mitigation in Wisconsin who are interested in participating in a listening session. We will host the session July 6, 2023, and determine exact time and location based on interest. We are currently considering making this a virtual session. The session will aim to gather feedback from the mitigation community on crucial mitigation issues that need our clarification, with a specific focus on topics to include in the outlines and information needs or gaps that existed in the 2013 version of the Guidelines. If you are interested in the session, please register in advance by sending your name, organization, contact information, and whether you are primarily a mitigation provider or mitigation purchaser to Leslie Day (leslie.e.day@usace.army.mil) on or before June 23, 2023.

18 Apr 2023

ANNOUNCEMENT OF RELEASE OF STREAM MITIGATION PROCEDURES

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District Regulatory Division (Corps) is announcing the release of its Stream Mitigation Procedures, Version 1.0 (Stream Procedures), applicable in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Corps will host an online outreach event on May 10, 2023, to review contents of the Stream Procedures and provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions about implementation of this document. The target audience is stakeholders, consultants, potential stream bankers, and other agencies. If you are interested in participating in this outreach event, please reach out to stpaulsqt@usace.army.mil to receive a calendar invitation. Please let us know if you are interested in attending, but unable to make the May session. We will hold additional outreach events later in the summer if there is demand.

20 Feb 2023

EFFECTIVE DATE FOR EIGHT REGIONAL GENERAL PERMITS IN MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED AMERICAN INDIAN RESERVATIONS

Expiration date: 2/18/2028

Special Public Notice: This notice announces the effective date, February 20, 2023, for the eight regional general permits (RGPs) now available for use in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and within the exterior boundaries of American Indian reservations, subject to the Lake Superior basin exclusions described within each RGP. Regulated activities are described in each RGP pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (Section 404) and Section10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (Section 10) as applicable.

20 Jan 2023

REGIONAL GENERAL PERMITS IN THE STATES OF MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN, AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED AMERICAN INDIAN RESERVATIONS

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: REGIONAL GENERAL PERMITS IN THE STATES OF MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN, AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED AMERICAN INDIAN RESERVATIONS - This notice announces eight regional general permits (RGPs) for use in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and within the exterior boundaries of Federally recognized American Indian reservations in both states, subject to the Lake Superior basin exclusions shown in Table 1. The eight RGPs will be available to authorize regulated activities which meet the terms and conditions of the RGP beginning on February 20, 2023. Regulated activities are described in each RGP pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (Section 404) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (Section 10).

2 Dec 2022

Special Notice - Notice of Availability of the Interim Draft of the National Ordinary High Water Mark Field Delineation Manual for Rivers and Streams

Expiration date: 12/4/2023

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly announce the availability of the Interim Draft of the National Ordinary High Water Mark Field Delineation Manual for Rivers and Streams (National OHWM Manual) and are soliciting public comments on this Interim Draft.

28 Sep 2022

Joint Public Notice - Beta Streamflow Duration Assessment Method for the Great Plains

Joint Public Notice - Beta Streamflow Duration Assessment Method for the Great Plains - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Albuquerque, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Worth, Galveston, Kansas City, Omaha, Rock Island, St. Louis, St. Paul, and Tulsa Districts, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Regions 5, 6, 7, and 8, jointly announce the availability of the Beta Streamflow Duration Assessment Method (SDAM) for the Great Plains (dated September 2022). The method is a rapid assessment tool to help distinguish between ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streamflow at the reach scale for the Northern and Southern Great Plains SDAM Regions. The beta SDAM may help provide technical guidance for identifying waters that may be subject to regulatory jurisdiction under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act; however, this method does not alter or change the definition of “Waters of the U.S.”

8 Jul 2022

Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheets

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: Release of Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheet (ADS) - On April 6, 2022, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), announced the release of ENG Forms 6116 (1-9), Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheet (ADS), and the associated “User Guide for Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheets” (User Guide). These documents are available at the USACE Regulatory Headquarters website in both Portable Document Format (PDF) and Microsoft Excel (Excel) file formats.

3 Mar 2022

Update on the NWP's for MN and WI

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: On March 1, 2022, the EPA provided a modification to their October 15, 2021, WQC decision that was applicable to the 34 NWPs (86 FR 73522, 27 DEC 2021) that went into effect on February 25, 2022, in St. Paul District. This modification clarifies the intent of the WQC’s Condition 2. Special Aquatic Sites and is applicable to NWPs 7, 13, and 27. The EPA’s October 15, 2021, Water Quality Certification decision and its March 1, 2022, modification are enclosed with this public notice.

8 Feb 2022

UPDATE on St. Paul District Public Notice on NWPs, Regional Conditions, WQC, and CZMA

SPECIAL PUBLIC NOTICE: Update on the Regional Conditions, Water Quality Certification (WQC) Decisions, and Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Consistency Decisions for the 2021 NWPs in Minnesota and Wisconsin.