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Regulatory Division 
(CT, MA, NH, RI) 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
New England District
696 Virginia Road
Concord, MA 01742-2751
978-318-8338
 
Maine Project Office
442 Civic Center Drive, Suite 350
Augusta, ME 04330
978-318-8916

AoR Map and Contact List (Mar 2026)

 
Vermont Project Office 
11 Lincoln Street, Room 210
Essex Junction, VT 05452

802-872-2893


 

 

The USACE Regulatory Program - Importance to the Public

Regulatory/Permitting Division

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) regulates construction and other work in navigable waterways under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, and has authority over the discharge of dredged or fill material into "waters of the United States" (a term which includes wetlands and all other aquatic areas) under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Under these laws, those who seek to carry out such work must first receive a permit from USACE. The program considers the full public interest by balancing the favorable impacts against the detrimental impacts. This is known as the “public interest review.” The program reflects the national concerns for both the protection and utilization of important resources.

At the New England District, we have issued regional general permits for certain activities with no more than minimal adverse effects on the aquatic environment.  These permits reduce delays and paperwork and allow USACE to devote its resources to the most significant cases. Activities not eligible for authorization under a general permit require an Individual Permit, in which case the permit evaluation process includes a public notice with a public comment period. 

Project proponents are encouraged to contact USACE with questions at any time. Pre-application meetings are encouraged to facilitate the review of projects.
 

- Updated: Feb. 2, 2024

RSS - Applying for a Permit

Nationwide Permitting Public Meeting Information

Announcements

Nationwide Permit Program Webinar Series Information 

The New England District Regulatory Division will be holding several one-hour webinars on various topics related to the implementation of the Nationwide Permits in New England District.  Webinars will be held at 12:00pm EST and will include approximately a 30-minute presentation followed by a 30-minute questions and answers session. 

To join these webinars, please use the Microsoft Teams Meeting link in the public notice for these webinars here: https://go.mil/3qkrd8fvpc

The schedule of webinars is below.  If changes to the schedule are necessary, the schedule will be updated accordingly. 

• April 16, 2026: General Condition 20, Historic Properties  

• April 30, 2026: General Condition 18, Endangered Species 

• May 14, 2026: Fundamentals of the Regulatory Request System  

• May 28, 2026: Essential Fish Habitat Programmatic Consultation  

• June 11, 2026: Regional Condition D, Temporary Fills and Single and Complete Linear Transportation Projects (SCLiPs)  

• June 25, 2026: General Condition 14 & Regional Condition C, Wild and Scenic Rivers  

• July 9, 2026: Regulatory Field Tools

 

USACE seeks public comments on potential future changes to the nationwide permits to increase permitting efficiency

USACE announced it is seeking input from all interested parties on ways to increase the efficiency of the nationwide permit program. A public notice soliciting input on potential future changes to the nationwide permits was published in the March 16, 2026, Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-05051. USACE will accept written comments through May 15, 2026. Comments should be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov at docket number COE-2026-0001, or by mail to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CECW-CO-R, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000. 

Regulatory Request System

 

8 May 2025 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers encourages use of Regulatory Request System for an improved permitting experience

Last year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers introduced its new Regulatory Request System (RRS), an online application portal that allows the public to submit permit applications and other information when requesting permission to dredge, fill or conduct activities in jurisdictional wetlands and waters of the U.S.

RRS is accessible at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs.

RRS users can submit individual permit applications, general permit pre-construction notifications, jurisdictional determination requests, and other information needed during the permit evaluation process using easy-to-follow online submission forms. Applicants can also track the status of their requests using a user-friendly dashboard. 

RRS benefits the applicant by eliminating the burden associated with the preparation and mailing of paper applications. It also reduces some of the effort associated with processing applications and data entry making the permitting process more efficient. Click here to learn more about the benefits of RRS (RRS Testimonial Video).

For more information on the USACE Regulatory Program visit https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory-Program-and-Permits/.

For further details or to provide feedback about the RRS, please contact USACE at rrs@usace.army.mil.

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

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 now 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.     

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

Customer Survey