What does SMP mean in UNCLASSIFIED

The Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is a plan tailored to each state to protect their water bodies. It guides land and water use activities along shorelines of rivers, lakes, and marine coastlines. It outlines management strategies that are intended to help preserve or restore the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, while providing for compatible human uses of these resources.

The SMP includes regulations for public access, water quality protection and conservation; limits for development; plans for managing the alteration of the shoreline environment; guidelines for local government actions; requirements for public participation in developing and implementing programs; and enforcement procedures.

Each state must have an authority designated by statute to administer its own Shoreline Management program. In some states this responsibility rests with a single agency, while in others multiple agencies may be involved depending on the type of shoreline resource being managed.

Generally speaking, SMPs are enforced through permitting processes administered by the designated state authority or through direct enforcement activities by environmental protection agencies such as fish and wildlife services or departments of natural resources.

Most alterations to shorelines including bulkheads, docks, or other structures require a permit before they can be constructed. Additionally, activities such as dredging, filling in wetlands, construction within riparian buffers or on-water vegetation beds are also regulated under SMPs and often require permits from the responsible state agency.

When applying for an SMP permit most states will require information such as detailed site plans outlining project boundaries, proposed activity areas and location maps describing watershed features near the project site. Information regarding potential impacts to existing wildlife habitat or species presence should also be included if applicable.

This processing time can vary greatly depending upon the complexity of your proposed activity and any potential conflicts between your project and existing regulations outlined in the program's management plan. Generally speaking though you can expect approvals processes taking anywhere from months to over a year depending on individual circumstances.

Again this will depend on the complexity of your proposed activity but generally speaking fees associated with processing applications range from several hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars based upon factors such as size of proposed activity area or presence of endangered species within project site boundaries etc…