Discharging dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands, without authorization by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is a violation of federal law and can have serious repercussions. Similarly, construction of structures or other obstructions, excavating or depositing materials in, over or under navigable waters, or any work that would affect the course, location, condition, or capacity of those waters, without a Corps permit is prohibited by federal law. Likewise, failure to comply with the terms and conditions of a Corps permit is a violation of federal law.
Regulated activities that include discharging of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S. are often associated with, but not limited to mechanized land clearing, constructing crossings over streams or wetlands, replacing or installing utility lines, stabilizing, relocating or manipulating stream channels and filling wetlands for development.
Regulated activities associated with navigable waters often include, but are not limited to constructing piers, dredging channels, boring under navigable waters, discharging dredged material, construction of revetments, bulkheads, living shorelines, construction of aquaculture projects or constructing aerial crossings over navigable waters.
The Baltimore District works diligently to ensure that work in jurisdictional waters and wetlands is authorized with appropriate permits and that work complies with the conditions of those permits. If a violation is suspected, steps are taken to inspect the suspected violation in a timely manner. These investigations should confirm whether a violation exists, and if so, will identify the extent of the violation and the responsible parties.