Photo By Abigail Chipps | Screenshot photo image of the Regulatory Request System (RRS) homepage, taken May 19,...... read more read more
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Seattle District Regulatory Division reviews thousands of permit applications each year. From infrastructure improvements to shoreline work, USACE regulators play an important role in protecting the nation’s aquatic resources and navigation capacity, while enabling reasonable development through fair and balanced decisions.
In January 2024, USACE headquarters launched the beta version of the Regulatory Request System (RRS), a modern, web-based platform that centralizes USACE-related regulatory information and requests in an effort to make the permit process more efficient, transparent and user-friendly.
After the two-year trial and testing period completed in early 2026, Seattle District launched its own transition to RRS, part of which includes hosting public outreach events, in person and virtually, from spring through fall of 2026.
At these events, regulators provide live RRS demonstrations and answer questions to help permit applicants transition to the new system.
“Before RRS, applicants had to personally contact USACE to inquire about status updates, and the current standing of their application,” Allen Atkins, Seattle District regulatory division chief, said. “But through RRS, they have real time data and access to their application and the phase it may be in at any moment because of the transparency and accountability of this system.”
The transition to RRS aligns with a broader Army initiative to overhaul the regulatory and permitting processes to reduce delays and provide faster, clearer decisions needed to empower the economy and serve the public.
On Feb. 23, Adam R. Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, announced his “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” initiative for the Army’s Civil Works program.
“The ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deliver critical projects and programs for the nation more efficiently, sooner and at less cost than the current ways of doing business,” Telle said.
This plan consists of 27 initiatives that can be grouped into five broader areas of effort: maximizing the ability to deliver national infrastructure, cutting red tape, focus on efficiency, transparency and accountability, and prioritization.
By transitioning to RRS, USACE is leveraging technology to better serve the public – delivering faster decisions and ensuring responsible development at the same time.
Through RRS, available at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs, users can now submit individual permit applications, general permit pre-construction notifications, jurisdictional determination requests, and other information needed during the permit evaluation process using easy-to-follow online submission forms. Applicants can also track the status of their requests via a user-friendly dashboard on the website, rather than directly contacting the regulatory team by phone or email for an update.
“RRS makes the permitting process more streamlined for not just our office reviewing the requests, but also for the applicants,” Atkins said. “We’ve noticed a difference already in the applications that are submitted through the new system. RRS guides the user through the application process in real time. In some instances, it may even provide them with a decision to their inquiry on the spot."
The system reduces internal data entry requirements, allowing project managers to spend more time reviewing permit applications.
Below is the RRS public outreach schedule:
April 21, 2026 - Bellingham, WA
May 19, 2026 - Lacey, WA
June 16, 2026 - Vancouver, WA
July 28, 2026 - Spokane, WA
August 11, 2026 - Seattle, WA
RRS will be the primary and preferred process for submitting applications starting October 1, 2026. Individuals interested in attending should RSVP by contacting Sarah Albright-Garland at https://word-edit.dod.online.office365.us/we/Sarah.L.Albright@usace.army.mil no later than one week before the event, with the following information:
Subject line: 2026 RRS Public Outreach Events
Name and Company/Agency (if applicable)
Email address of interested parties (if different from the sender)
Preferred date and location
Preferred method of participation: Online or in person
Information on the Seattle District’s regulatory program can be found at https://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory/. The regulatory boundary for the Seattle District is the state of Washington.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2026 13:09 |
| Story ID: | 565656 |
| Location: | SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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