In the District of Columbia, new requests for Department of the Army permit applications (individual and general permits), jurisdictional determination requests, preapplication meeting requests, and to report potential violations should be submitted through the national online application portal and management platform, known as the Regulatory Request System (RRS) at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs. Other requests will continue to be accepted in digital format through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District Regulatory mailbox at: nab-regulatory@usace.army.mil.  

In addition, a copy of the Department of the Army application for work in the District of Columbia must also be submitted to the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) through their online application system. Information on how to apply is available at: DOEE Water Quality Certifications

Questions for the Baltimore District Regulatory Branch can be directed to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Baltimore District - CENAB-OP-R
2 Hopkins Plaza
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(410) 962-3670
nab-regulatory@usace.army.mil

Questions for DOEE can be directed to:

wetlandprogram@dc.gov
Regulatory Review Division
Department of the Energy & Environment
1200 First Street NE, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 535-2600

Permits Types

In the Baltimore District, we use the Nationwide Permits (NWPs) to authorized work in the District of Columbia. These General Permits may be used to authorize impacts to waters of the United States that have been determined to result in no more than minimal adverse environmental effects. The majority of projects qualify for authorization under one of these General Permits. For projects with the potential for more than minimal environmental impacts, authorization may be obtained through a Letter of Permission or an Individual Permit.  Additional information on NWPs, Letters of Permission and Individual Permits may be found on our Permit Types and Processes page. 

In some instances, issued authorizations may require compensatory mitigation to offset unavoidable impacts to aquatic resource functions and services.  Information on compensatory mitigation requirements may be found on our Mitigation page.

Nationwide Permits

Nationwide Permits (NWPs) are general permits issued on a nationwide basis to authorize minor activities with minimal evaluation time. NWPs have been established to reduce the regulatory reporting burden for specific activities that have no more than minimal impacts to the aquatic environment.

On January 8, 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a final rule in the Federal Register (91 FR 786) announcing the reissuance of 56 existing Nationwide Permits (NWPs), the issuance of one new NWP, and the decision to not reissue one NWP. These NWPs will go into effect on March 15, 2026, and will expire on March 14, 2031:

• NWP 1. Aids to Navigation
• NWP 2. Structures in Artificial Canals
• NWP 3. Maintenance
• NWP 4. Fish and Wildlife Harvesting, Enhancement, and Attraction Devices and Activities
• NWP 5. Scientific Measurement Devices
• NWP 6. Survey Activities
• NWP 7. Outfall Structures and Associated Intake Structures
• NWP 8. Oil and Gas Structures on the Outer Continental Shelf
• NWP 9. Structures in Fleeting and Anchorage Areas
• NWP 10. Mooring Buoys
• NPW 11. Temporary Recreational Structures
• NWP 12. Oil or Natural Gas Pipeline Activities
• NWP 13. Bank Stabilization
• NWP 14. Linear Transportation Projects
• NWP 15. U.S. Coast Guard Approved Bridges
• NWP 16. Return Water From Upland Contained Disposal Areas
• NWP 17. Hydropower Projects
• NWP 18. Minor Discharges
• NWP 19. Minor Dredging
• NWP 20. Response Operations for Oil or Hazardous Substances
• NWP 21. Surface Coal Mining Activities
• NWP 22. Removal of Vessels
• NWP 23. Approved Categorical Exclusions
• NWP 24. Indian Tribe or State Administered Section 404 Programs
• NWP 25. Structural Discharges
• NWP 26. [Reserved]
• NWP 27. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Enhancement, and Establishment Activities
• NWP 28. Modifications of Existing Marinas
• NWP 29. Residential Developments
• NWP 30. Moist Soil Management for Wildlife
• NWP 31. Maintenance of Existing Flood Control Facilities
• NWP 32. Completed Enforcement Actions
• NWP 33. Temporary Construction, Access, and Dewatering
• NWP 34. Cranberry Production Activities
• NWP 35. Maintenance Dredging of Existing Basins
• NWP 36. Boat Ramps
• NWP 37. Emergency Watershed Protection and Rehabilitation
• NWP 38. Cleanup of Hazardous and Toxic Waste
• NWP 39. Commercial and Institutional Developments
• NWP 40. Agricultural Activities
• NWP 41. Reshaping Existing Drainage and Irrigation Ditches
• NWP 42. Recreational Facilities
• NWP 43. Stormwater Management Facilities
• NWP 44. Mining Activities
• NWP 45. Repair of Uplands Damaged by Discrete Events
• NWP 46. Discharges in Ditches
• NWP 47. [Reserved]
• NWP 48. Commercial Shellfish Mariculture Activities
• NWP 49. Coal Remining Activities
• NWP 50. Underground Coal Mining Activities
• NWP 51. Land-Based Renewable Energy Generation Facilities
• NWP 52. Water-Based Renewable Energy Generation Pilot Projects
• NWP 53. Removal of Low-Head Dams
• NWP 54. Living Shorelines
• NWP 55. Seaweed Mariculture Activities
• NWP 56. [Reserved]
• NWP 57. Electric Utility Line and Telecommunications Activities
• NWP 58. Utility Line Activities for Water and Other Substances
• NWP 59. Water Reclamation and Reuse Facilities
• NWP 60. Activities to Improve Passage of Fish and Other Aquatic Organisms

On March 13, 2026, the Baltimore District issued Special Public Notice 26-08, announcing the final suspensions and regional conditions for these 2026 NWPs in the District of Columbia. The document identifying the suspended NWPs can be found here. A copy of the NWPs definitions, general conditions, and regional conditions can be found here.