Effective Oct. 1, responsibility for overseeing regulatory activities under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Porter and Lake counties and a portion of LaPorte County will move to the Chicago District Office.

These areas have previously been served by the Corps’ Detroit District Office.

The transition schedule is based on three key dates, the Army Corps said in a statement released on Tuesday:

*Oct. 1: on this day all new requests for regulatory actions--including applications for permits, requests for jurisdictional determinations, and reports of alleged unauthorized activities--should be directed to the Chicago District Regulatory Branch.

*Oct. 1 through Dec. 31: during this period the Detroit District Office will bring to completion as many actions of all types already in its possession as possible.

*Jan. 29, 2010: on this date any pending actions--other than those which on a case-by-case basis cannot be transferred to the Chicago District Office--will have been transferred for finalization to the Chicago District.

Historic records for Porter County will be transferred from the Detroit to the Chicago District and any Freedom of Information Act requests in Porter County should be directed to the Chicago District Office of Counsel after Oct. 2009.

On Oct. 1 all requests for regulatory actions should be sent to the Chicago District Office at this address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CELRC-TS-R Informational Notice, III N. Canal St., Chicago, IL 60606-7206.

“The two districts are working together to make the transition go as smoothly as possible,” said Chicago District Engineer Col. Vincent Quarles.

The Chicago District is developing a website for Indiana regulatory information at

www.Irc.usace.army.mil/co-r

It will include applications, instructions, and public notices.

Posted 9/1/2009