Regulatory Branch

The Norfolk District Regulatory Office is dedicated to protecting the nation's aquatic resources while allowing reasonable and necessary development, as wetlands filter pollutants from runoff, help store and slow floodwaters during storm events, and provide habitat for many different types of plants and animals.

The office issues permits for regulated activities proposed throughout the state of Virginia. Areas Norfolk District regulates include, but are not limited to, tidal marshes, seasonally saturated forested and nonforested wetlands, swamps, rivers, bays and streams.

Regulatory issues permits under authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. 

Click here to find your local regulator.

 

USACE launches new Regulatory Request System

USACE announces the launch of its new Regulatory Request System (RRS). RRS is designed to make the review of permit requests a transparent and efficient process for the public. RRS, currently in a beta version, provides general information on the Regulatory Program and allows the public to submit pre-application meeting requests and jurisdictional determination requests.

Additional capability is scheduled in Spring 2024. This added capability will allow users the ability to electronically submit individual and general permit applications and other necessary information, saving time and reducing the need for paper-based submissions.

RRS will streamline the permit application process and underscores USACE commitment to modernizing our application process, meeting user expectations, and providing a transparent, straightforward process for the timely review of permit requests.

Stay tuned for further updates on the full release of the RRS. Please click on the following link to access RRS: rrs.usace.army.mil

For additional information on or to provide feedback on RRS, please contact the rrs@usace.army.mil.

Regulatory announcements

Permits, permission and certifications

The Regulatory Section processes the following permits and letters of permission for regulatory actions within the commonwealth.

Need help with your permit? Call the Regulator of the Day at 757-201-7652.

41 Nationwide Permits Published in the Federal Register (86 FR 73522) on Dec. 27, 2021 

16 Nationwide Permits Published in the Federal Register (86 FR 2744) on Jan. 13, 2021 

Jurisdictional determinations

The jurisdictional determination process establishes a line that separates and identifies the USACE-regulated wetland areas and waters from non-wetland (upland) areas that are not regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1977. It generally requires positive evidence of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils and wetlands hydrology for a determination that an area is a wetland.

The JD provides important information to a landowner or investor for planning purposes or carrying out certain activities on a given parcel of land. It is essential in making an application for a permit from the USACE to determine if work would occur in wetlands or navigable waters of the United States.

Recent jurisdictional determinations made by Norfolk District

AJD Form and User Manual

Antecedent Precipitation Tool

 

Contact information

Find your local regulator

Regulatory Branch
803 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23508

Submitting a Joint Permit Application?
Email your JPA directly to VMRC by
clicking here.
JPA instructions and documents are here

All other requests  
Email Regulator of the Day at
cenao-reg_rod@usace.army.mil
or cenao.reg_rod@usace.army.mil

To facilitate assignment of your project, all emails should include the county or independent city in the subject line, Also, if it's a federally funded transportation or trail project, please note that in your email. 

Your assigned project manager should contact you within two weeks of your request submittal to the Regulator of the Day email.

Need assistance? 
* Call the Regulator of the Day
757-201-7652

* Due to COVID-19 contingency activities, the Regulator of the Day phone line is not being staffed. Emails sent to cenao-reg_rod@usace.army.mil may experience a delayed response as well.

* The Regulatory Branch's fax machine is also currently down. Applications sent via fax cannot be accepted at this time.

 

Link to customer satisfaction survey