Managerial Changes Needed To Speed Up Processing Permits for Dredging Projects

Increased public interest in protecting the Nation's waters over the past 10 years has resulted in additional federal regulations to protect the environment, wildlife, and other valuable resources as well as to provide for navigational needs. Balancing these competing objectives has complicated the process for issuing dredging permits, involving several federal agencies and increasing the time required to process applications. Lengthy processing is costly to applicants, makes planning difficult, and can hinder construction and water transportation. The Army Corps of Engineers' dredging permit program was examined to identify the common delays and the problems which arise in the program.