Massachusetts Programmatic Permits for Waterway and Wetland Activities

A Programmatic General Permit (PGP) issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, regulates work in Massachusetts waters. It details three review categories for activities ranging from minimal to significant environmental impact, including structures in navigable waters and discharges of dredged material. The dataset describes the application requirements and review processes for both programmatic and individual permits.

Use Cases

• Classify permit applications into Category I, II, or III based on project description and potential environmental impact.
• Analyze the review timeline for Category II projects using the specified 10-day issuance period after agency review.
• Model the public comment process for Individual Permits using the 30-day comment window following a Public Notice.
• Identify projects requiring a Section 10 permit based on location data seaward of the mean high water line.
• Categorize activities requiring a Section 404 permit using descriptions involving the discharge of dredged or fill material.

Strengths

• Defines three distinct regulatory review categories (I, II, III) with specific criteria.
• Specifies concrete review timelines, such as a 10-day issuance period for PGP and a 30-day public comment period for Individual Permits.

Limitations

• No quantitative data on the number of permits issued, denied, or under review is provided.
• The description is procedural and lacks sample application data, site plans, or decision records.
• Geographic scope is limited to Massachusetts, as administered by the New England District.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, via the SCIOPS organization on NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Administrative documentation of regulatory policy and permit procedures.

Geography

Massachusetts, United States, focusing on its navigable waters, coastal waters, inland rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands.