Environmental Procedures are for everyone on the project team, from the project manager to the Environmental Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). However, their primary users are OES and its consultants. Rather than a lengthy printed document with chapters of instruction, the procedures are available on individual PDF documents and divided by topic.
Users accessing these guidebooks should also be aware that they are distinct from the toolkits available through the OES team sites. Toolkits offer more detailed instructions for accomplishing certain required tasks. Instructions in the toolkits should not conflict with the more general requirements described by the guidebooks.
Covers the directive for design changes that would alter impacts to waters of the U.S. or state-mandated buffers cannot be made within 31 weeks of Management Let (38 weeks for projects requiring Individual Permits). Plan lockdown is needed so that 404 permits and buffer variance applications can be submitted on time and once submitted do not need to be modified, thus minimizing the risk to the Scheduled Let.