Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA)

The Aquatic Protection Permitting System (APPS) will be down Wednesday, Nov. 20 beginning at 12 p.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 3, as we transition to a new and enhanced online permitting system.

• For emergency HPAs , please contact your local Habitat Biologist or Emergency Hotline (360-902-2537) as usual.
• If you need to apply for any other HPA during the shut-down period, you may submit a paper JARPA form to HPAapplications@dfw.wa.gov.
• Any other notification, report, etc., required by your permit can be emailed to HPAapplications@dfw.wa.gov.
• Please note that starting Dec. 3, you will need a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account to access the new system.
• If you have any additional questions, please contact APPS.help@dfw.wa.gov.

Washington State law (RCW 77.55) requires people planning hydraulic projects in or near state waters to get a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). This includes most marine and fresh waters. An HPA ensures that construction is done in a manner that protects fish and their aquatic habitats.

The Office of Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) has in-depth information about most environmental permits in their Regulatory Handbook. WDFW permit processing and issuing times can be found in the handbook and are also available in ORIA's Permit Timeliness Data repository.