CRITICAL RESOURCE WATERS

According to the March 9, 2000 Federal Register, "discharges of dredged or fill materials are not authorized by nationwide permits 7, 12, 14, 16, 17, 21, 29, 31, 35, 39, 40, 42, 43 and 44 for any activity within, or directly affecting, critical resource waters, including wetlands adjacent to such waters." Any activity that would affect these designated waters or adjacent wetlands would require an individual permit.

The Federal Register states that "critical resource waters include, NOAA-designated marine sanctuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserves, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, critical habitat for Federally listed threatened and endangered species, coral reefs, State natural heritage sites, and outstanding national resource waters or other waters officially designated by a State as having particular environmental or ecological significance and identified by the District Engineer after notice and opportunity for public comment". The State of Illinois does not have NOAA-designated sanctuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserves, or any other waters officially designated as being of particular environmental or ecological significance. As per 50 CFR 17.95(a) the only designated critical habitat for federally listed threatened and endangered species in Illinois is Black Ball Mine in LaSalle County. It is a hibernation for Indiana Bat and is not a wetland site and therefore not subject to additional protection under the Critical Resource Waters designation. The INAI sites, Land and Water Reserves, and Nature Preserves together make up the State natural heritage sites. The Ramsar site is the outstanding national resource waters for Illinois. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers is listed as the Scenic River coverage.

To view the GIS layers or print a map of the Critical Resource Waters for Illinois visit the Resource Management Mapping Service at http://www.rmms.uiuc.edu/website/rmms .

[ Introduction   | Section 404 Program  |  Nationwide Permits & General Conditions | Section 401 Program |Critical Resource Waters |  | Swampbuster Prog.  | Interagency Wetlands Policy Act of 1989  |  Rivers, Lakes & Streams Act  | Wetland Detmermination & Delineations |Conclusion ]

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