United States Army Corps of Engineers
Los Angeles District
915 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017-3401
(213) 452-3333

Authority:
Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 404
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 10

Jurisdiction:
The Corps has regulatory authority over the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S. under Section 404 of the CWA. The term "waters of the US" includes: (1) all waters that are or may be used in interstate or foreign commerce (including sightseeing or hunting), including all waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; (2) wetlands; (3) all waters such as interstate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sand flats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds, the use, degradation or destruction of which could affect interstate or foreign commerce; (4) all impoundments of water mentioned above; (5) all tributaries of waters mentioned above; (6) the territorial seas; and (7) all wetlands adjacent to the waters mentioned above.

California Department of Fish and Game
Region 5
4949 Viewridge Avenue
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 636-3160
(858) 467-4299 FAX

Authority:
California Fish and Game Code, Section 1602
California Endangered Species Act (CESA) 2080

Jurisdiction:
The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) is responsible for conserving, protecting, and managing California's fish, wildlife, and native plant resources. To meet this responsibility, the law requires any person, state or local governmental agency, or public utility to notify the Department before beginning an activity that will substantially modify a river, stream, or lake. If the Department determines that the activity could substantially adversely affect an existing fish and wildlife resource, a Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement is required.

California Regional Water Quality Control Boards
Santa Ana Region
3737 Main Street, Suite 500
Riverside, CA 92501-3348
(909) 782-4130
(909) 781-6288 FAX

San Diego Region
9174 Sky Park Court, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123-4340
(858) 467-2952

Authority:
Clean Water Act, Section 401
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act

Jurisdiction:
The Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) regulates discharges to surface waters under the Federal CWA and the California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. The RWQCB's jurisdiction extends to all waters of the State and to all waters of the U.S., including wetlands. The Federal CWA, Section 401 gives the RWQCB the authority to regulate, through 401 Certification; any proposed federally permitted activity that may affect water quality. Among such activities are discharges of dredged or fill material permitted by the Corps under CWA Section 404. The Santa Ana Regional Board has jurisdiction over Orange County Flood Control District's Drainage Areas designated A through G and the San Diego Region has jurisdiction over H through M.

California Coastal Commission
South Coast District
200 Oceangate, 10th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802-4416
(562) 590-5071
(562) 590-5084 FAX

Authority:
California Coastal Act of 1976 as amended
Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)

Jurisdiction:
The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires any person proposing to undertake development in the Coastal Zone to obtain a Coastal Development Permit (CDP). In significant coastal estuarine, habitat, and recreational areas, the coastal zone extends inland to the first major ridgeline paralleling the sea or five miles from the mean high tide line of the sea, whichever is less. In developed urban areas the zone generally extends inland less than 1,000 yards.

The California Coastal Commission (CCC) has jurisdiction over the coastal zone except those areas covered by a Certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) in which case the CDP must be obtained from the local agency (City or County) administering that program in the project area.

New development in the Coastal Zone that requires a permit from the CCC or the appropriate local government includes the placement of any solid material or structure; a change in land use density or intensity (including any land division); change in the intensity of water use or access to water; and removal of major vegetation. However, some types of development are exempt from coastal permitting requirements, including, in many cases, repairs and improvements to single-family homes, certain "temporary events," and, under specified conditions, replacement of structures destroyed by natural disaster.

In addition to a CDP, the CCC also issues a consistency certification for projects that are outside of the coastal zone but have impacts to coastal resources. Federal CZMA gives the CCC regulatory control over all federal activities and federally licensed, permitted or assisted activities, wherever they may occur if the activity affects coastal resources.