Who Must Apply: Any private or non-governmental individual or corporation that proposes to work in or near a stream on private or public land must apply for a 310 permit.
How: The person conducting the work should submit a completed application to the conservation district office. District supervisors will notify the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and, if requested, will set up an inspection of the site. Following a team inspection, the district supervisors will approve, modify, or deny the permit application. The permit process takes approximately 30-60 days.
Why: The purpose of the 310 permit program is to minimize soil erosion and sedimentation, maintain water quality and stream channel integrity, and to keep streams and rivers as natural a state as possible.
Emergency Provisions: The law allows for actions that are "necessary to safeguard life or property during periods of emergency." The conservation district must be notified within 15 days of the action. An inspection team will determine if the project is approved as designed, will require modifications, or is denied and will have to be removed. If at all possible, contact the conservation district before taking the emergency action.
For more additional information on the 310 Permitting Program click on the following link-
http://www.dnrc.state.mt.us/permit.html
