Regulatory Overview

Photo by Rebecca Manbeck

The mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Regulatory offices is to protect the Nation’s aquatic resources and navigation capacity, while allowing reasonable development through fair, flexible and balanced decisions.

The Alaska District Regulatory Division has jurisdiction over waters of the U.S. that are distributed across the state of Alaska. Therefore, the AK District handles projects across the entire state of Alaska. Our mission is to serve the public interest in Alaska, providing responsive, quality service by balancing protection and reasonable use of aquatic resources through professional administration of the Regulatory Program.

The USACE Regulatory Program administers Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, and Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), regulating activities that may impact wetlands and waters of the United States.

The USACE Regulatory Program’s permit application process gives applicants the opportunity to demonstrate that they have avoided and minimized impacts to waters of the United States as much as possible. As an applicant, you can make the permitting process easier by first taking time to consider how your project will impact the environment.

This website contains information specific to the USACE, Alaska District, Regulatory Division. It is important to understand that Alaska District is part of a Regional Regulatory Division that includes Alaska District and Honolulu District to better serve the public.

Public service is a public trust. We, as USACE Regulatory Division regulators, must earn this trust, and to keep this trust, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that reflects the following principles:

Professional - We will conduct ourselves in a professional manner in dealings with all our customers, including applicants, violators, agencies, interest groups, and the general public.

Fair and reasonable - We will be open-minded, impartial, and consistent in our interactions with all our customers to ensure all actions and decisions are free from bias and are not arbitrary or capricious. Customers will be treated equally and with tolerance.

Knowledgeable - We will remain knowledgeable of applicable laws, regulations, and scientific and technical advances which affect our program.

Honest - We will be truthful, straightforward, and candid in all dealings with our customers.

Timely - We will strive to provide our customers with timely regulatory responses regardless of whether those responses are favorable or adverse.

Accountable - We will be decisive in all actions and accept responsibility for any of our decisions and resulting consequences. All decisions will be factual and properly documented.

Respectful - We will treat our customers with dignity, courtesy, compassion, and sensitivity.

U.S. Army of Engineers (USACE) Headquarters Regulatory Page
USACE Regulatory in-lieu fee and bank tracking system (RIBITS)
Environmental Protection Agency Permit Program under CWA Section 404
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Information for Planning and Consultation (IPAC)
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of History and Archaeology
Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Land, Mining and Water
Alaska Department of Fish and Game: Fish Habitat Permit