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Orange County Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan
3.6.2 Practical Considerations for Beach Nourishment Permitting
State and federal agencies with permit authority for beach nourishment projects are concerned
with public health and welfare, and the effects of potentially contaminated or toxic components,
sedimentation, and turbidity on the environment that may occur from beach nourishment
activities. Most Orange County coastal RSM permitting needs would likely be handled by an
interagency team that was convened to coordinate permitting agency efforts as described below
(SC-DMMT, 2010). Agency responsibilities and technical concerns pertaining to beach
nourishment components of coastal RSM projects are also summarized below from other
CSMW work (Moffatt & Nichol, 2006). A more detailed review of relevant laws and regulations
is provided in Appendix C.
Southern California Dredged Material Management Team (SC-DMMT)
The permitting system for dredging and disposal can be lengthy and complex, involving several
federal and state agencies that issue permits or other legal approvals. In southern California, a
coordination process for managing dredging project permitting was developed in the form of the
southern California Dredged Material Management Team (SC-DMMT). The goal of the SC-
DMMT is to establish an interagency team for the coordinated review of dredging projects and
dredging policy issues within the southern California area (SC-DMMT, 2010). Coordinated
review of dredging projects and policy issues is expected to reduce redundancy and
unnecessary delays in permit processing, promote consistency in dredging project reviews,
facilitate development of consensus recommendations among regulatory staff, and increase
overall efficiency. Additionally, the process of making suitability determinations for disposal of
dredged material often requires agency interpretation of an extensive suite of testing that
characterizes the physical, chemical, and biological nature of the sediment proposed for
dredging. The contribution of regulatory agency staff to the suitability determination process
reflects differing areas of technical expertise. In addition, increased coordination on dredging
policy issues increases communication and allows consensus-building. Thus, the coordinated
exchange of technical and policy information among agency staff at the SC-DMMT creates a
common knowledge base to improve the likelihood of consistent and timely permit actions.
Membership of the SC-DMMT includes representatives from USACE, the CCC, the various
Regional Water Quality Control Boards in southern California, and the USEPA. Member
agencies are those with permitting authority over dredging related projects. Other regulatory
agencies are invited to participate in SC-DMMT meetings; these agencies include CSLC,
USFWS, CDFG, and NMFS.
Participation in SC-DMMT meetings is limited to member agencies and, when deemed
appropriate by the assigned USACE project manager, applicants or applicant representatives.
Other agency representatives may request a USACE project manager to invite project
applicants or applicant representatives. While SC-DMMT meetings are not currently open to
non-members, the members of the SC-DMMT are committed to ensuring that all stakeholders
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