The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced on January 7, 2026, the reissuance of 56 existing nationwide permits and the issuance of one new permit. These permits regulate work in wetlands and other waters under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.
One existing permit, nationwide permit 56, which authorised activities associated with finfish mariculture, will not be reissued. Adam Telle, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, stated the action aims to reduce bureaucratic delays for citizens and businesses to support economic competition.
The final action is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register shortly, at which point the effective and expiry dates for the permits will be established. Until the new permits take effect, all 2021 nationwide permits remain in force across the regulatory program.
The process began with a notice of proposed rulemaking published on June 18, 2025, followed by a 30-day public comment period that ended on July 18, 2025. According to USACE, nationwide permits are intended to authorise activities that cause only minimal adverse environmental impacts to aquatic resources.
Authorised activities under these permits range from the maintenance of aids to navigation and utility lines to residential developments. The USACE noted that these permits facilitate work that is similar in nature while ensuring the protection of the aquatic environment on a cumulative basis.