a. The department and the Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to secure the assumption of the permit jurisdiction exercised by the United States Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to the Federal Act. The department shall make an initial application to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for this assumption within one year of enactment of this act, and shall provide the Governor and the Legislature with a schedule therefor and a copy of the application and supporting material forwarded to the federal government.

b. The department shall utilize, to the maximum extent practicable and feasible, forms and procedures for permit applications which are identical to those used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in issuing permits under the Federal Act.

c. The department shall seek to conduct the review of an application for a freshwater wetlands permit in conjunction with federal personnel responsible for reviewing an application for a permit under the Federal Act.

d. It is the intention of the Legislature that the permit process imposed in this act be conducted by the department concurrently with the review conducted by the federal government until such time as the department secures assumption of the permit jurisdiction exercised by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

L. 1987, c. 156, s. 27.