Alter Comment Permit For Free

The Clean Water Act exempts from the Section 404 program discharges associated with normal farming, ranching, and forestry activities such as plowing, cultivating, minor drainage, and harvesting for the production of food, fiber, and forest products, or upland soil and water conservation practices (Section 404(f)(1)(A

Overview. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes a program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands.Proposed activities are regulated through a permit review process.

The 1987 Water Quality Act (WQA) added Section 402(p) to the CWA requiring the EPA to develop and implement a storm water permitting program. The EPA developed this program in two phases (Phase I: 1990; Phase II: 1999).

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires authorization from the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Corps of Engineers, for the discharge of dredged or fill material into all waters of the United States, including wetlands.

A Section 404 permit is required if the proposed activity will involve a jurisdictional act (dredging or filling) in a jurisdictional area (a water of the United States). Examples of dredging activities include excavation, clearing of vegetation and the removal of trash.

Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas." - Definition of wetlands as used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since the 1970s for regulatory purposes.

There are three types of general permits: nationwide permits, regional general permits, and programmatic general permits.