These goals guide SPD Districts as they conduct day to day regulatory business.
- To provide strong protection of the Nation's aquatic environment, including wetlands.
- To enhance the efficiency of the Corps administration of its regulatory program.
- To ensure that the Corps provides the regulated public with fair and reasonable decisions.
The South Pacific Division ensures that the Regulatory program operates consistently across the region in its four subordinate districts, Albuquerque District, Los Angeles District, Sacramento District, and San Francisco District. To that end, the South Pacific Division develops guidance, templates, procedures, and processes that are to be used by its four subordinate districts in administering the Regulatory Program. Those documents are located on South Pacific Division's Public Notices and References page.
The South Pacific Division administers the administrative appeal program for approved jurisdictional determinations and permit decisions made by the Albuquerque District, Los Angeles District, Sacramento District, and San Francisco District. Appeals currently in progress, as well as past appeal decisions, are listed in the Table of Appeals.
Navigable Waters Protection Rule Vacatur
On August 29, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Army (the agencies) issued a final rule to amend the final “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’” rule, published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2023. This final rule conforms the definition of “waters of the United States” to the U.S. Supreme Court’s May 25, 2023, decision in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. Parts of the January 2023 Rule are invalid under the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Clean Water Act in the Sackett decision. Therefore, the agencies have amended key aspects of the regulatory text to conform it to the Court’s decision. The conforming rule, "Revised Definition of 'Waters of the United States'; Conforming," published in the Federal Register and became effective today 8 September 2023. Read More.
Regulatory Boundaries
Each District in the South Pacific Division administers the Regulatory Program within its area of responsibility. District areas of responsibility, along with locations and contact information for each District office and its associated field offices, are shown on the map below.