Established LOP Procedures

Regulations at 33 C.F.R. section 325.2(e) authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to use “alternative procedures”, including Letters of Permission (LOPs), to permit regulated activities under the Corps Regulatory Program, pursuant to section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) and section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).

In addition to the use of LOPs to permit regulated activities under section 10 of the RHA, the Corps Los Angeles District has established section 404 LOP procedures to improve permitting efficiencies.  The following LOP procedures are now available for use and describe the process by which the Corps will evaluate, and if determined eligible by the Corps in coordination with other federal and state agencies, authorize activities resulting in discharges of dredged and fill materials into waters of the U.S.:

  1. Eligible activities evaluated under the Corps’ Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) watersheds in Orange County, California


    Detailed information, including relevant documents and geospatial data for all of the District’s SAMPs, is available at https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/SAMP-Permitting-and-Research/.

  2. Eligible activities evaluated under the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Renewed Measure M (M2) Freeway Program