New York permit streamlines stormwater management, recovery after major storms

Feb. 5, 2024

This latest New York state permit, when activated in response to a widespread storm, will streamline recovery and restoration efforts.

The USACE Buffalo District deployed a technical team to assist the Village of Sodus with proper sandbag placement, May 6, 2019. The Village of Sodus requested the Buffalo District’s assistance as rising water on Lake Ontario threatens to flood areas of the shoreline.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued the first State Programmatic General Permit for the state of New York, which authorizes activities to facilitate the recovery and restoration of damaged lands following major storm events.

According to USACE, New York’s first State Programmatic General Permit (NYSPGP-1) ensures important environmental safeguards and encourages best management practices while agencies work to bring infrastructure back online and retore quality of life for communities quickly, and without unnecessary reviews.

When activated in response to a widespread storm event, the NYSPGP-1 permit would offer one application for the purpose of complying with both USACE’s and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s regulations collectively governing discharge of pollutants into fresh waters, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. This new permit expands each agency’s existing storm response capabilities to ensure that environmental approvals necessary for response to widespread storm events are expedited.

The permit will also help project sponsors and the public obtain any Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursements they may be eligible for following specific storm events that are declared federal disasters.

“Emergency planning is key for when time matters most and DEC is proud of the collaboration with USACE to help communities and enhance state and federal storm response,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “This permit is an important tool to help eliminate duplication of effort between federal and state agencies by making the permitting process more efficient for municipalities during extreme storm recovery efforts or declarations of emergency.”

NYSPDP-1 will be available for use throughout New York State, except for Long Island, New York City, and portions of Rockland and Westchester Counties.

The issued permit is available at https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll9/id/2814

More information about the NYSPGP-1 permit, including application and notification requirements, is available at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website.