I may be wrong, but when you recieve a permit to start work, you're ready to go.  The site needs to be inspected first, the project explained, and how it's going to be done.  Compare it to a gold mine.  They don't just say yep, there's gold there, go for it.  They want to know exactly how you're going to get it out of the ground, what kind of impact it may have, and if it's safe.  You need to have all your ducks in a row.  If they didn't have the plan in place I don't think they would have the permit.  I think they're ready to go, just sayin'.