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Regulatory Announcement

 15 May 2024 – Permit applications are now available in RRS!

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OMAHA DISTRICT, REGULATORY BRANCH

USACE is pleased to announce that the new national online application portal and management platform, known as the Regulatory Request System (RRS) now includes an electronic submission option for permit applications. This platform has been introduced to modernize our permit application process and to address our users' expectations by providing a straightforward and transparent process for the submittal of permit requests.

RRS is a web-based platform currently in a beta version that enables users to submit pre-application meeting requests, jurisdictional determination requests, and new applications for individual and general permits. This new system aims to streamline the process, improve efficiency, and provide a more user-friendly experience for our applicants.     

All six states in the Omaha District, which includes the northeastern quarter of Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, are accepting RRS electronic submissions. Please note that in the state of Montana, the RRS joint permit application (JPA) process will not be available on May 15th.  The Montana Regulatory Offices will be flexible with incoming applications submitted in the RRS and continue to coordinate with state and federal counterparts to minimize the burden on applicants. The external JPA form for Montana’s resources is still available online; for further information regarding this JPA, please visit: https://dnrc.mt.gov/Licenses-and-Permits/Stream-Permitting/.

We believe that RRS will not only benefit our users by simplifying the application process but will also enhance our ability to effectively manage and review permit requests. We are confident that this modernization initiative will lead to improved customer satisfaction and greater overall efficiency within our Regulatory Program.

We encourage users to explore and utilize the new Regulatory Request System to take advantage of its benefits and features. Visit rrs.usace.army.mil today!

For additional information on or to provide feedback on RRS, please contact us using the following email: rrs@usace.army.mil. 

 8 September 2023 - EPA and the Army Issue Final Rule to Amend 2023 Rule
 29 August 2023 - To Conform with Recent Supreme Court Decision, EPA and Army Amend "Waters of the United States" Rule
 December 1, 2022 – Release of the Interim Draft of the National Ordinary High Water Mark Field Delineation Manual for Rivers and Streams

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and EPA (the Agencies) 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 its accompanying data sheet. The Interim Draft National OHWM Manual provides draft technical guidance for identifying and delineating the OHWM using a scientifically supported, rapid framework. The Agencies are requesting comments and feedback from the public and practitioners on the Interim Draft of the National OHWM Manual via the public notice linked below. Following the public comment period and additional field testing, comments and feedback received from the public and practitioners will be utilized to further refine the Interim Draft of the National OHWM Manual for clarity, consistency, and technical accuracy. The one-year testing and comment period ends on December 1, 2023. A final version of the National OHWM Manual is anticipated to be published during 2024.

During the period while the OHWM Manual is an interim draft, OHWM identification and/or delineation for official USACE Regulatory purposes should continue in accordance with the applicable OHWM definition in the Federal regulations, Regulatory Guidance Letter 05-05, and any applicable USACE district policies. However, USACE Regulatory staff are encouraged to test the Interim Draft of the National OHWM Manual and provide comments and feedback by emailing usace.ohwm@usace.army.mil.

Apply for Permits, Jurisdictional Determinations and other Requests

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 The Montana Regulatory Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Omaha District has transitioned to digital applications.  If it is necessary to provide a hard copy of the application materials, and/or any subsequent material, a digital copy must also be provided for the digital record.

All electronic applications and requests must be sent to Montana.Reg@usace.army.mil. 

To expedite your request, please include the following information in the body of the email:

  1. Project name
  2. Applicant/Requestor/Client Contact Information (Name, Address, Phone, Email)
  3. Latitude and Longitude (in decimal degrees) of the project area
  4. Location description (Address or Cross Streets, City, County, State)
  5. Type of Request (Jurisdictional Determination, Pre-application Meeting, Regional / Nationwide / Individual Permit, Letter of No Objection / No Permit Required Letter, etc.)
  6. Is this request related to any previous Army Corps reviews?  If so, please provide the Army Corps file number for that review (i.e., NWO-2000-00000).

Attach contents of requests to email:

  1. The preferred document file format is Adobe PDF (.pdf).  We will also accept Word documents in .docx format. The Aquatic Resource/Consolidated Upload Excel spreadsheet must be submitted in .xlsm spreadsheet format.
  2. Digital documents must have sufficient resolution to depict project details.  In order to have the highest quality documents, please convert original digital documents to PDF.  All forms that require signature must be digitally signed or signed manually, scanned and then transmitted electronically.
  3. If transmitting via email, include all information as email attachments, and avoid transmitting information in the body of the email.
  4. All documents (aquatic resource delineations, permit applications, endangered species biological assessment, historic properties reports, etc.) must be submitted as separate files. Do not combine all documents into one Adobe PDF or Word document file.
  5. Name files based on their content. Please do not use company project numbers or acronyms as the sole basis for the file name(s).
  6. Reduce file sizes to the maximum extent possible.

To facilitate sending large file sizes (greater than 10MB):

  1. Use .zip files as attachments. Combine multiple files into a .zip file to compress file size prior to adding as an email attachment.
  2. Send multiple emails. Label each email with same subject line and indicate number of emails. For example:
    • Smith Subdivision Application (1 of 2)
    • Smith Subdivision Application (2 of 2)
  3. For submittals greater than 10MB and less than 8GB, please use the DoD SAFE (Secure Access File Exchange) https://safe.apps.mil/ .  Please contact us at Montana.Reg@usace.army.mil for an access code.

For those who want to submit a paper copy, please send the application package to the address below and include a copy of the entire application package on a CD/DVD.  Please note that we are unable to accept flash drives.

US Army Corps of Engineers
Montana Regulatory Office
100 Neill Ave
Helena, MT 59601-3329

To learn more about the Regulatory Request System, watch this video: USACE RRS Promo 90-sec (youtube.com)

 

Click below to access the Regulatory Request System.

Montana Regulatory Pages

MT Forms & Publications

Flood Impacts

Due to the extensive damage caused by the current flooding across the state and our current staffing shortage, we are prioritizing emergency permitting actions at this time. Non-emergency Department of the Army (DA) permit applications and requests associated with pending DA permit applications will be processed as our workload allows but may experience extended processing delays. Jurisdictional Determination (JD) requests and/or Delineation Concurrences (DCs) will still be accepted by the Montana Regulatory Office, but the review and processing of such standalone requests will be based on available resources, likely resulting in extended timelines for these requests to be fully processed.

Flood Response Information

FEMA Montana Severe Storm and Flooding DR-4655-MT

The US Army Corps of Engineers, Montana Regulatory Offices, through the Regulatory Program, administer and enforce Section 404 of the Clean Water Act in Montana for the Omaha District. Under CWA Section 404, a permit is required for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States. Many waterbodies and wetlands in the nation are waters of the United States and are subject to the Corps' regulatory authority.
 

Montana Regulatory Office

The Department of the Army Regulatory Program is one of the oldest in the Federal Government. Initially it served a fairly simple, straightforward purpose: to protect and maintain the navigable capacity of the nation's waters. Time, changing public needs, evolving policy, case law and new statutory mandates have changed the complexion of the program, adding to its breadth, complexity and authority.

The Regulatory Program is committed to protecting the Nation's aquatic resources, while allowing reasonable development through fair, flexible and balanced permit decisions. The Corps evaluates permit applications for essentially all construction activities in the Nation's waters, including wetlands.

100 Neill Avenue | Helena, MT | 59601-3329 | Ph: 406-441-1375 | Fax: 406-441-1380
Post Office Box 7032 | Billings, MT | 59103 | Ph: 406-657-5910 | Fax: 406-657-5911
1600 North Ave. West, Suite 105 | Missoula, MT | 59801 | Ph: 406-541-4845 x323 | Fax: 406-541-4849

Email: Montana.Reg@usace.army.mil

Small Montana Regulatory Map

Montana Information and Agency Links

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 Agencies and Organizations
 General Stream Information
 Special Stream Areas
 Watersheds
 Functional Assessments
 General Wetland Information and Guidance

USACE Headquarters Links