BALTIMORE -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers anticipates that some owners of damaged property from Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaias within the Baltimore District area will want to conduct repair activities in the near future. It is important to note that most of these smaller repairs may not require an application to be submitted to the Army Corps prior to beginning work. If a property owner wants to conduct repairs, the Army Corps advises they first review the special public notice #20-51 for more details:
https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Public-Notices/
A great deal of these activities needed to remediate storm damage would be authorized under an existing general permit (e.g., Maryland State Programmatic General Permit-5, Pennsylvania State Programmatic General Permit-5, Nationwide Permit #3). That means most repair work of previously authorized, currently serviceable structures does not require an application for Army Corps review and authorization.
Please note, this does not apply to previously non-serviceable structures. It also does not apply to replacement structures located on a federal channel or on an Army Corps Civil Works project (like a levee, for example). If uncertain whether an activity qualifies for a general permit, the Army Corps recommends contacting Army Corps Regulatory personnel prior to the commencement of repair work.
Any questions regarding clarification can be directed to the applicable Permit Section at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, as indicated below. Please note different parts of Pennsylvania are served by the Army Corps’ Baltimore District, Philadelphia District and Pittsburgh District.
Maryland/District of Columbia/Certain Military Installations of northern Virginia:
- Baltimore District Maryland Section Northern (410) 962-5691 (Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Howard, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Washington Counties and Baltimore City and all Maryland State Highway Administration projects).
- Baltimore District Maryland Section Southern (410) 962-5690 (Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Dorchester, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, District of Columbia, and certain military bases in northern Virginia).
Pennsylvania:
- Baltimore District Pennsylvania Section, (814) 235-0572 (Susquehanna and Potomac River Watersheds)
- Philadelphia District Regulator of the Day, (215) 656-6728 (Delaware River Watershed)
- Pittsburgh District Division Chief, (412) 395-7155 (Ohio and Genesee River Watersheds, and Lake Erie Watershed)
The Corps recommends retaining records of permits, photographs, drawings, surveys, etc., for the structures or fill being repaired, replaced or rehabilitated and/or any other documentation showing that the structure or fill was serviceable immediately prior to the storm damage that occurred, or at the time the work was done.
Check our website at www.nab.usace.army.mil, our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USACEBaltimore or our Twitter feed at @USACEBaltimore for updates.