Permit Requirements
Work
in and along a watercourse, stream, wetland or other body of water is regulated
by DEP according to the regulations listed in Chapter 105. There are three levels of State permitting
for projects related to this type of work.
·
The first level
of permitting covers minor activities in or near the water that have no impact
on the stream. Permitting requirements
for thise type of project is waived in the regulations. For a listing of the available waivers, see
the Pennsylvania Code, Title 25,
Chapter 105.12. It should be noted
that the Federal permit may be required even if the State permit is
waived. For more information on these
activities the applicant should contact the Conservation District (570-784-1310
ext 102) or the DEP regional office (570-327-0529).
·
The second
level of permitting covers projects that may have some impact on the
stream. DEP realized that many projects
planned for near or in a stream are similar and have minimal impact on the
environment when properly done. DEP has
developed a series of “General Permits” for these routine minor activities. The
preapproved permits outline specific requirements and conditions that if
followed will minimize the impact to the environment. To use these permits, the applicant must
preregister the use of the permit and receive a written acknowledgement back that
the project is qualified for the general permit. Normally these applications can be processed
and acknowledged within ten days or sooner by the Conservation District
provided all the required information is submitted.
§
The third level
of permitting includes activities that have the potential to have significant
impact on the environment or may be a threat to public safety. These require an individual site specific
review by a DEP engineer and/or biologist.
Projects requiring this type of review often require detailed
engineering plans prepared by someone trained and experienced in this type of
work. Because of the engineering and
reviews involved, these types of plans can take several months or longer to get
approved. For more information and
application forms for these types of projects, contact the Conservation
District (570-784-1310 ext 102) or the DEP regional office (570-327-0529).