L&A was authorized, under our District 6 On-Call Agreement, to prepare a fast-tracked Individual Section 404/401 Waterway Permit Package for the I-270 and US 33 Interchange Improvement Project. This project involves the replacement of existing loop ramps with new directional ramps, which will result in the permanent and temporary discharge of fill material into jurisdictional waters. Lawhon’s first assignment was to begin agency coordination, starting with a Jurisdictional Determination field visit with USEPA and OEPA. Based on the determinations made during this site meeting, L&A met with District 6 and Office of Environmental Services (OES) personnel, as well as the design team, to develop the permitting strategy for the project. Given the proposed project scope and anticipated impacts to ecological resources, it was concluded that an Individual Section 404 Permit and Section 401 Water Quality Certification would be required. L&A prepared the associated applications in accordance with ODOT’s Waterway Permits Manual. In assembling this documentation, L&A assisted the project team in quantifying the proposed impacts for inclusion in the Waterway Permit Package and the comprehensive Alternatives Analysis for the OEPA 401 WQC application. Mitigation options to compensate for unavoidable impacts to jurisdictional waters and habitat were also developed and included in the submittal. L&A assisted ODOT with responses to public comments obtained during the public notice period. The Section 404/401 permits were authorized by USACE and OEPA in April, 2015