Nationwide Permit 22 authorizes the removal of sunk, abandoned, or disabled vessels, along with other man-made obstructions to navigation. This permit covers both the physical structures in navigable waters under Section 10 and the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States under Section 404. The primary objective of this permit is to clear navigational hazards and restore safe water access. It is used when the process of removing a vessel requires placing fill material—such as temporary work pads or access fills—or involves work that impacts the seafloor or riverbed.
The 2026 reissuance of NWP 22 does not include any substantive modifications to the permit's core terms or conditions compared to the 2021 version. The Corps reevaluated the permit's quantitative and qualitative limits and determined they remain sufficient to ensure that authorized vessel removal activities result in no more than minimal individual and cumulative adverse environmental effects. While the regulatory requirements remain consistent, the supporting decision document was updated with current 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 process is grounded in the most current available data.
Compliance managers, salvage contractors, marine towing companies, and port authorities typically use this permit to clear sunken or abandoned vessels. It is essential for maritime professionals who need regulatory clearance to move debris or wrecked ships that are obstructing navigable channels or shoreline areas.
The Corps determined that the reissuance of NWP 22 results in 'no effect' on federally-listed endangered or threatened species or their critical habitat. This is because General Condition 18 requires project-specific ESA Section 7 consultation for any activity that 'might affect' listed resources; no activity is authorized until the consultation process is complete. Compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is ensured through General Condition 20. Because NWP 22 requires a mandatory Pre-Construction Notification (PCN), district engineers have the opportunity to review every proposal for potential impacts on historic properties, such as shipwrecks of historical significance, before work can proceed.
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