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Planning Guidance: Environmental
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The Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides a comprehensive list and description of all federal laws under which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service functions; including Administrative Laws, Treaties, Executive Orders, Interstate Compacts and Memoranda of Agreement. The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act authorizes the Services, among other activities, to develop "reports and recommendations" on the wildlife aspects of water resource development projects. This guide was developed through a collaboration between the Corps, USFWS and NMFS. The Guide provides an overview of the SMART Planning process and demonstrates how key environmental coordination and compliance activities fit into that process. The Guide highlights opportunities for engagement and coordination at all stages of a planning study, re-emphasizing the need for early coordination. Alternative Dispute Resolution This paper first discusses reasons and goals for using public involvement and conflict management in water resources and environment decision making. It outlines six concepts: (1) levels of conflict; (2) designing values; (3) visibly isolating extremes; (4) negotiating an interest rather than position; (5) achieving durable settlement; and (6) choosing appropriate techniques. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of how the concepts and techniques have been applied in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Humanity is moving toward a new consciousness of Earth and nature. The consciousness has been stimulated by often confusing and bitter debates among the engineering and environmental communities. Unfortunately, such experience has left a stronger impression of adversarial rather than cooperative relationships. This impression is and will change. At the bottom line, the public engineering community shares interests with the environmental community that are far deeper than the often held adversarial positions they frequently defend. Public service engineers, the environmental community, and the public(s) need credible government agents as instruments to achieve environmental goals. If government is viewed as incompetent, inefficient or untrustworthy, both the environmental community and the public engineers will suffer. In short, the environmental community and the engineers need one another. To reach environmental ends, the world needs engineering means. To employ engineering means requires justification in terms of environmental ends. A new democratic spirit and a new ecological spirit are two of the most powerful transformational forces in today's world. The interaction between these forces is driving much change in industrialized, reindustrializing, and even third world countries. The democratic spirit calls us to individual freedom, empowerment and transformation. The ecological spirit calls us to a new collective consciousness, collective restraint and a new relationship with nature. But will these forces work to bring people together or to create more adversarial relations? Both spirits confront us with complexity at a time when increasingly we are mesmerized by 60-second sound bites. Both spirits confront us with new responsibilities to understand and accept uncertainty at a time when we in the industrialized world seem constantly to seek a risk-free environment. At a time when people complain about government and bureaucracy, it seems that both spirits confront us with dependence on technical experience and the concomitant increases in bureaucracy and regulation. Both spirits call us to anticipate and to employ long-term vision. At the same time, we seem to be inextricably pushed by rapid rates of change into a short-term focus. North Americans have been adapting traditional democratic institutions to the often-conflicting challenges presented by these forces. Central and Eastern Europeans are responding to similar challenges while also experiencing a revolution in decision-making institutions. Engineer Pamphlets (EPs) Appendix E of the Water Resources Policies and Authorities Digest lists interagency agreements related to water resources (as of 1999). A summary of Corps administrative and legislative water resources policies and authorities. Engineer Pamphlet lists references in "Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities." Engineer Pamphlet lists pertinent legislation in "Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities." Engineer Pamphlet lists pertinent executive orders in the "Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities." Engineer Pamphlet lists Office of Management and Budget Circulars in the "Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities." Engineer Pamphlet provides an index for "Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities." Engineer Pamphlet provides information on the policies that guide Corps decision making and policy making. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities. Engineer Pamphlet provides a detailed look at many facets of Corps project management. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet discusses the federal interest in beach erosion, flood protection, beach nourishment and emergency protection, among other topics. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet discusses federal stream bank erosion policy. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet discusses federal recreation policy and philosophy, different types of recreation projects, project evaluation, and project finance. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet discusses ecosystem restoration, environmental authorities within WRDA, wetland policy, other applicable federal policies, and project management. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Aquatic plant control program management. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet provides background on Corps involvement in water regulation, general policies for evaluating permit applications, and jurisdictional limits. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet provides information on environmental programs, natural lands, hydroelectric power, and legislation outside Corps authority. Digest of Water Resources Policies and Authorities Engineer Pamphlet provides policy information in support of ER 1165-2-501 to guide Corps of Engineers involvement in ecosystem restoration and protection through Civil Works programs and activities. Engineer Regulations (ERs) This regulation establishes policy, provides background, and discusses management of the Cooperative Stream Gaging Program. This regulation sets guidance for USACE implementation of Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as it pertains to civil works projects in design and construction. This regulation defines objectives, philosophies, and policies for the planning, development, and management of outdoor recreation and wildlife at USACE projects. This regulation provides guidance for implementation of the procedural provisions of the NEPA for the Civil Works Program of the USACE. This regulation describes the Coastal Field Data Collection (CFDC) Program This regulation provides guidance on issues and problems associated with HTRW, which may be located within project boundaries. This regulation provides for the establishment of Reservoir/Water Control Centers (Centers) to improve capabilities. This regulation defines the scope, authorities, and analysis and reporting requirements for performing watershed-runoff analyses. This regulation establishes land management policy for Corps-administered project lands and water, based on various authorizing legislation and the principles of good environmental stewardship. This regulation prescribes policies, procedures and responsibilities for submitting U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) documents to the U.S. Army Publications and Printing Command (USAPPC) for publishing in the Federal Register (FR). This regulation provides policy on Corps of Engineers involvement in ecosystem restoration and protection through CW programs and activities. This appendix provides policy and planning guidance for project purposes of navigation, flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction (shore protection), ecosystem restoration, hydroelectric power, recreation, water supply and multiple purpose projects. This regulation provides guidance for updating the Civil Works Digital Project Notebook (DPN) using the Internet. This establishes the roles and responsibilities under FUSRAP in designating new sites, in determining the scope of its cleanup, and in seeking cost recovery or contribution in its cleanup efforts. This regulation provides guidance on the implementation and integration of the Environmental Operating Principles across management initiatives and business processes. This appendix provides guidance and procedures for the management and conduct of planning studies, activities, and programs. This regulation describes how to acquire geospatial data, how to implement geospatial data technology, reduce data duplication, and how to comply with Executive Order (EO) 12906, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16. Contains information on Project Management Plans, Independent Technical Review, and Risk Management. This regulation provides guidance for proper and accurately referenced materials for flood forecasting, inundation modeling, flood insurance rate maps, navigation charting, and topographic mapping. This ER was later supplemented by Engineer Manual 1110-2-6056: Standards and Procedures for Referencing Project Elevation Grades to Nationwide Vertical Datums (2010). Evaulation of Environmental Investment Research Program Federal Infrastructure Strategy Program This study reports on economic development and employment effects of non-structural stream (riparian) restoration. Institute for Water Resources This work unit focuses on investigating the issues, problems and techniques relevant to conducting incremental cost analysis for mitigating fish and wildlife losses resulting from Corps water resources projects. The purpose of this study is to provide conceptual underpinning and preliminary guidance on the development of an evaluation framework and measurement techniques that will contribute to a practical partnership between ecology and economics. The work reviews, evaluates, and draws conclusions about research needs from the published and unpublished literatures bearing on the relation between ecological systems and economic notions of effectiveness and evaluation. This annotated bibliography contains brief summaries, including key words, for 73 recently published articles and reports concerning ecological modeling and environmental evaluation. It was prepared as background material to support the development of the White Paper, "First Steps in the Development of a Method for Evaluating Environmental Restoration Projects," (IWR Report 92-R-9, December 1992). It is being published separately, because of its potential use as source material for Corps Planners and others concerned with environmental evaluation issues. The Bussey Lake demonstration illustrates the application of incremental cost analysis for environmental planning in a real world planning situation. The purpose of this manual is to serve as a guide for conducting cost effectiveness analysis and incremental cost analysis for the evaluation of alternative environmental restoration and mitigation plans. The objective of this report is to compile management measures, engineering features, monitoring techniques, and detailed costs for a representative sample of non-Corps environmental projects or engineering projects with environmental features. This study is a companion study to National Review of Corps Environmental Restoration Projects. This study, under the Monetary and Other Valuation Techniques work unit, is critical to meeting the Corps aim to consider the socioeconomic impacts of environmental efforts. Its specific objectives are to describe services provided by environmental resources and systems and methods for their measurement or valuation; review existing research programs and products; and evaluation the resource constraints on field applications of measurement and valuation tools. This study explores the literature for analytical techniques that can support the complex decision-making process surrounding Corps environmental projects. Specifically, this literature review focuses on opportunities for using trade-off methodologies in the plan formulation process. This study investigates how understanding the perspectives of stakeholders in USACE environmental projects might improve the identification and communication of project benefits. The purpose of this report is to support Corps planners by identifying Evaluation of Environmental Investments Research Program (EEIRP) products that can be used in applying the six-step planning process to environmental projects. This report introduces Corps personnel involved in the planning of environmental restoration projects to the basics of risk and uncertainty analysis. In addition, it presents a sample incorporation of risk analysis in the application of a habitat evaluation procedure, through a habitat suitability index model. This report provides descriptive information for water resource planners and managers concerning the engineering features of recently completed or on-going Corps environmental restoration projects. This report compiles information on 28 Section 1135 projects completed as of October 1998. The projects occur in 21 different Corps Districts and in 22 different states. The information is descriptive, and intended to be useful to water resources planners and managers in formulating and evaluating Section 1135 and other Corps ecosystem restoration projects. This report provides a framework for incorporating risk analysis into the USACE six-step planning process for ecosystem restoration projects. This report is part of a larger research and development effort to develop procedures and guidelines for risk analysis in USACE ecosystem restoration planning. USACE major responsibilities for waterborne commerce include dredging, development and maintenance of the inland and coastal waterways and related maritime infrastructure, and navigation aids. A firm understanding of marine transportation conditions and trends is critical in discharging those responsibilities. The U.S. Maritime Transportation System (MTS) no longer exists in isolation, but must interact with ports, land carriers, customers, communities, environmental restrictions and security concerns. This second in a series of Water Resources Outlook papers is intended to develop an understanding of the challenges faced by the MTS over the next 30 years and suggests roles for the private and governmental sectors, including the Corps. It is intended to provide a strong, fact-based foundation for policy, planning and priorities. The Corps has recognized that there are many implementation issues that need to be addressed if OSE factors are to play a greater role in water resources planning. IWR was directed to provide tools to Corps planners to help integrate OSE analysis into project planning. As the Corps of Engineers strives to improve its planning and decision making, economic analysis is one of its most reliable and important tools. A critical element of successful economic analysis is communication with others in gathering data, making assumptions, developing models, and presenting results. This Economics Primer presents the rudiments of the science of economics and its use in the Corps of Engineers. IWR Reports This report presents summary abstracts of ninety-five Federal, regional, state, and nonprofit organization programs that evaluate environmental projects and/or determine the significance of, or prioritize environmental resource areas or activities. The abstracts present information on the program's goals and objectives; the types of activities associated with the program; the sources of priority recognition; and the process of determining the "significance" of environmental resources, or which environmental resources deserve a level of priority for mitigation protection, or restoration efforts. A comparative analysis of these programs was conducted to facilitate some generalizations about the determination of national and regional resource priorities, the bases for determination of significance, and the potential applicability of the process or products to the USACE environmental program. This report provides a short, easy-to-use guide, or protocol, for identifying and describing resource significance in environmental project planning. The protocol provides an iterative procedure for identifying and describing resource significance in environmental plan formulation and evaluation. Four phases of the protocol are identified: scoping, analyzing, evaluating, and communicating. One or more iterations of these four phases will guide a planning team through the process of identifying and describing resource significance. Guidance Memos This memorandum provides guidance on the policy applicable to cost-sharing of lands, easements, rights of way, and relocations (LERRs) associated with fish and wildlife mitigation for water resources development projects, including continuing authorities program projects. The guidance will be applied prospectively to ongoing and future pre-authorization and pre-Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) planning activities. This memorandum establishes additional policy and procedures regarding the certification requirements for ecosystem output models used in all planning activities. This memorandum directs agencies to develop and institutionalize policies to promote consideration of ecosystem services, where appropriate and practicable, in planning, investments, and regulatory contexts, and sets forth the process for development of implementation guidance. This memorandum clarifies that, during completion of Project Information Reports (PIRs), District Commanders will consider the probable environmental consequences when determining the recommended alternative for rehabilitation assistance projects and describe proposed NEPA documentation or exclusion, as appropriate. This memorandum provides PIR paragraph templates for various sections of the report. Policy and Special Studies Program This document was developed to help USACE planners conduct cost effectiveness and incremental cost analyses in planning for environmental restoration and mitigation. It presents step-by-step instructions about how to conduct the analyses, using an example to illustrate their application to a planning problem. This study examined ecological and economic concepts relevant to improving environmental benefits analysis, and recommends a strategy for improving related tools, application capabilities, policy and guidance. Visiting Scholar Program "Environmental Valuation and Decision Making for Water Project Investment and Operations: Lessons from the FERC Experience" is of strong interest as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was addressing the same kinds of issues that increasingly face the Corps reviewing the viability and/or operational practices of water control projects that were built years ago, before the new emphasis on river restoration. The approach provides useful insights for the Corps as it seeks to advance its environmental restoration mission in the context of its emphasis on collaborative planning. Water and energy are the two renewable resources that are most essential for human livelihood. Whereas we have been mostly concerned with non-renewable resources, as the human population grows in size and in terms of the impact that it has on the biosphere, the renewable resources become equally important. The water sector, including treatment and conveyance, is presently one of the largest users of energy, comparable to the paper and refining industries. As it becomes increasingly difficult to provide additional supply, demand will need to be managed. By providing expertise and technology for integrated water management, as well as by discharging its regulatory missions, the Army Corps of Engineers is uniquely placed to recognize energy/water interactions and to contribute to demand reduction efforts. Webpage "Tales of the Coast" describes the coasts of the United States and the varied ways that people interact with and affect coastlines. These discussions provide an understanding of the dynamic nature of coasts and their importance to the social and economic fabric of the U.S. Wetland Mitigation Banking Study
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