Nationwide Permit 11 authorizes the placement of temporary structures for recreational use in navigable waters of the United States. This permit covers specific items such as ski jumps, marking buoys for competitions, and structures used during seasonal events like boat races or fishing tournaments. The scope is strictly limited to structures that are temporary in nature. These structures must be removed within 30 days of use, and the site must be restored to its original condition. This permit operates under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and does not authorize any discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.
The 2026 reissuance of NWP 11 did not include any substantive changes to its terms or conditions compared to the 2021 version. The Corps of Engineers reevaluated the permit's individual and cumulative effects and determined that the existing framework remains effective in ensuring that authorized activities result in no more than minimal individual and cumulative adverse environmental effects. While the permit text remains unchanged, the supporting decision document has been updated with the most recent environmental baseline data. This includes results from newer national assessments such as the 2022 National Lakes Assessment and the 2021 National Wetland Condition Assessment to ensure the environmental review remains current.
This permit is typically used by event organizers, non-profit recreational clubs, and seasonal facility operators. It is essential for entities that need to temporarily place structures like buoys, markers, or floating platforms in navigable waters for tournaments, seasonal camps, or water sports competitions.
The Corps determined that the reissuance of NWP 11 results in 'no effect' on federally-listed endangered or threatened species or their critical habitat. This finding is supported by General Condition 18, which requires project-specific ESA Section 7 consultation for any activity that 'might affect' listed species; no such activity is authorized until the consultation process is successfully completed. Compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act is similarly managed through General Condition 20, which triggers mandatory Pre-Construction Notification (PCN) if an activity has the potential to affect historic properties. The Corps also found that the activities authorized result in only minor changes to the current environmental setting across the United States and its territories.
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