US Army Corps and Michigan EGLE explain dock, seawall and dredging permits for St. Clair Shores

Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy briefed the St. Clair Shores City Council on how they review and permit work in Lake St. Clair, connected canals and adjacent wetlands.

The presentation described the authorities that trigger federal and state review (Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act), the types of projects that typically need permits (docks, boat hoists, seawalls, dredging, riprap and utility crossings) and how applicants should apply and coordinate with agencies and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Why it matters: many homeowners, contractors and marinas in St. Clair Shores seek permits to repair or extend docks, replace seawalls or dredge canal mouths. Permitting affects when work can occur (for example, DNR dredging windows tied to fish spawning), whether projects require public notice and which conditions or inspections will be imposed.

Sean Sanchez of the Army Corps’ Detroit District said the Corps’ regulatory program uses two primary federal authorities. “We have section 10 and the Rivers and Harbors Act,” he said, describing that authority as focused on navigable waters such as Lake St. Clair, and noting that “section 404 of the Clean Water Act … includes adjacent wetlands.” Sanchez emphasized the Corps’ goal to “make permit decisions in a reasonable, you know, fair, balanced” way and said jurisdiction commonly reaches lakefront, canal mouths and the more waterward portions of tributaries.

Sanchez outlined Corps permit types: verification of general, regional or nationwide permits for minor activities, individual permits for larger projects, letters of permission for some structural work, and a standard permit for the most robust reviews. He said the Corps aims to process regional and nationwide verifications within about 60 days and more complex individual reviews within about 120 days, but coordination needs and applicant revisions often extend those timeframes.

Paige Kavanaugh of EGLE explained the state’s permitting tiers and application timelines and urged residents to use the agency’s online resources and the pollution emergency alert system for urgent spills. “For emergencies, please call the PEAS line,” Kavanaugh said, adding that email is the best route for routine permitting questions. She described EGLE’s three-tiered approach: exempt activities (seasonal, temporary work such as temporary boat hoists), general permits for small projects, minor permits for common permanent work such as boat hoist installations and seawall replacements, and individual/public-notice permits for projects that exceed minor thresholds or raise neighbor or agency concerns.

Kavanaugh set out EGLE fees and timelines discussed in the presentation: general permit PDFs are available online and typically carry a $50 fee, minor permit categories carry a $100 fee, and individual (public-notice) permits have fees that range approximately from $500 to $2,000 depending on project size. EGLE uses a 30-day completeness check after an application is submitted; for completeness determinations the agency may place an application on hold pending additional information. After completeness, review timeframes vary by statute and waterbody: for many Great Lakes/connective waters reviews EGLE cited 60 to 90 days depending on the permit type and statute.

On dredging and seasonal work, the presenters said the DNR sets no-work windows tied to fish spawning and the agencies coordinate to avoid work during those periods. Sanchez said the Corps “get[s] our state windows … from the state, through the DNR,” and that dredging in canals often is handled more flexibly than dredging farther into the lake: “dredging in the canals themselves … we will work with whomever to get that canal back open,” he said, but dredging that extends farther into the lake attracts stricter timing and review.

On seawalls and shoreline mitigation, EGLE staff said best-management practices are required for seawall replacements. Kavanaugh said EGLE requires measures “to help mitigate for the ongoing impact of having a seawall there,” and that mitigation can be site specific; the state may allow access breaks, decks or boardwalks combined with plantings. Sanchez said the Corps will often include special conditions such as turbidity curtains and temporary measures during work to protect aquatic resources.

Several technical and operational points were raised in question-and-answer detail: inspectors may conduct pre- and post-work inspections for dredging and seawalls (EGLE inspects seawalls within three years and typically inspects dredging turbidity controls), property owners must sign issued permits acknowledging conditions, contractors commonly apply on behalf of homeowners but permits are issued to property owners, and agencies try to mirror permit limits so Corps and EGLE decisions align. Kavanaugh noted that while meeting minor-permit criteria generally leads to approval, site-specific conditions and neighbor objections can push a project into the public-notice process.

On dock length and placement, officials said there is no single statewide maximum; approvals are case-by-case and consider adjacent structures, fairway width, navigability and public safety. Sanchez said the Corps does not “have actual, like, here's your maximums” and that in constrained waterways the Corps considers navigability and may suggest alternatives such as dredging. A commonly cited local guideline discussed in the meeting was a rule-of-thumb that fixed structures should not take up more than about 20% of a canal width, but officials said enforcement and civil disputes over boat size or placement may be handled at the local level or through private remedies unless the structure creates a safety or navigability violation that triggers agency enforcement.

The agencies urged residents and the city to use available resources: EGLE’s permit PDFs and online complaint/reporting tool, EGLE’s PEAS emergency phone line, and the Corps’ Detroit District contact number for suspected violations or pre-application questions. Sanchez said the Corps can hold pre-application meetings and sometimes conducts site visits to help applicants. Kavanaugh and EGLE staff offered to accept comments from the city on proposed projects, even for some minor permits, before a formal public-notice period.

The presentation closed with officials reiterating that permitting is intended both to protect waterways and to provide applicants a layer of regulatory review and civil protection. “When someone runs into a dock with a boat, the first thing they do is get an attorney,” Sanchez said, noting that a permit gives evidence a regulatory review occurred. EGLE staff said most permit applications are ultimately approved but often with modifications to reduce impacts.