General Permits for Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Regulatory Program

The Department of the Army's Regulatory Program is one of the oldest in the federal government. Initially, it served a simple purpose: to protect and maintain the navigable capacity of the nation's waters. Changing public needs, evolving policy, court decisions and new statutory mandates have changed several aspects of the program including its breadth, complexity, and authority.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), through the Regulatory Program, administers and enforces Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under RHA Section 10, a permit is required for work or structures in, over or under navigable waters of the United States. 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 USACE regulatory authority.

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

USACE Jurisdictional Limits

Submittal Instructions & Contact Information

Please send all new Section 10/404/103/408 applications and other correspondence via email to the assigned Project Manager. If you have a new request or you do not have an assigned Project Manager, please submit to the following: cenae-r-ma@usace.army.mil.

Self-Verification submittals shall be sent to the following: cenae-r-ma-sv@usace.army.mil

Additional information regarding submission procedures may be found here.

General questions and inquiries about the Regulatory Program?

Call: (978) 318-8338

Email: cenae-r-ma@usace.army.mil

Massachusetts General Permit

Aquatic Resource Identification and Mitigation

Identification of Aquatic Resource Areas

Avoidance, Minimization, Compensatory Mitigation

Invasive Species

Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards

Resources for Preparing a Complete Submittal

IIJA Definition

Water Quality

Coastal Zone

Section 106 & Tribal Consultations

Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act

Essential Fish Habitat & Diadromous Fish

Section 408

Wild & Scenic Rivers

FEMA Declared Disasters

Dredging

Coast Guard MOU

TOY Restrictions

Other Useful Links

New England District Offices

Real Estate Division


 

- Updated: August 18, 2023

Outreach & Public Notices

 


- Updated: October 13, 2020

Nationwide Permits Suspension in New England

Use of Nationwide Permits have been suspended in New England and replaced with general permits.

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont