In the case of any water resources project-related study authorized to be undertaken by the Secretary that results in recommendations concerning a project or the operation of a project and that requires specific authorization by Congress in law or otherwise, the Secretary shall prepare a feasibility report, subject to section 2215 of this title.
A feasibility report shall describe, with reasonable certainty, the economic, environmental, and social benefits and detriments of the recommended plan and alternative plans considered by the Secretary and the engineering features (including hydrologic and geologic information), the public acceptability, and the purposes, scope, and scale of the recommended plan. A feasibility report shall also include the views of other Federal agencies and non-Federal agencies with regard to the recommended plan, a description of a nonstructural alternative to the recommended plan when such plan does not have significant nonstructural features, and a description of the Federal and non-Federal participation in such plan, and shall demonstrate that States, other non-Federal interests, and Federal agencies have been consulted in the development of the recommended plan. A feasibility report shall include a preliminary analysis of the Federal interest and the costs, benefits, and environmental impacts of the project.
This subsection shall not apply to-
(A) any study with respect to which a report has been submitted to Congress before November 17, 1986;
(B) any study for a project, which project is authorized for construction by this Act and is not subject to section 903(b); 1
(C) any study for a project which does not require specific authorization by Congress in law or otherwise; and
(D) general studies not intended to lead to recommendation of a specific water resources project.
In this subsection, the term "feasibility report" means each feasibility report, and any associated environmental impact statement and mitigation plan, prepared by the Corps of Engineers for a water resources project. The term includes a project implementation report prepared under title VI of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (
In the case of any water resources project-related study authorized to be undertaken by the Secretary without specific authorization by Congress in law or otherwise, the Secretary shall prepare a detailed project report.
For purposes of studies undertaken pursuant to this section, the Secretary is authorized to consider benefits which may accrue to Indian tribes as a result of a project resulting from such a study.
The Secretary shall undertake such measures as are necessary to ensure that standard and uniform procedures and practices are followed by each district office (and each division office for any area in which there is no district office) of the United States Army Corps of Engineers in the preparation of feasibility reports on water resources projects.
The Secretary shall establish procedures to enhance public participation in the development of each feasibility study under subsection (a), including, if appropriate, establishment of a stakeholder advisory group to assist the Secretary with the development of the study.
If the Secretary provides for the establishment of a stakeholder advisory group under this subsection, the membership of the advisory group shall include balanced representation of social, economic, and environmental interest groups, and such members shall serve on a voluntary, uncompensated basis.
Procedures established under this subsection shall not delay development of any feasibility study under subsection (a).
Not later than 180 days after June 10, 2014, the Secretary shall determine a set of milestones needed for the completion of a feasibility study under this subsection, including all major actions, report submissions and responses, reviews, and comment periods.
Each District Engineer shall, to the maximum extent practicable, establish a detailed project schedule, based on full funding capability, that lists all deadlines for milestones relating to feasibility studies in the District developed by the Secretary under paragraph (1).
Each District Engineer shall submit by certified mail the detailed project schedule under paragraph (2) to each relevant non-Federal interest-
(A) for projects that have received funding from the General Investigations Account of the Corps of Engineers in the period beginning on October 1, 2009, and ending on June 10, 2014, not later than 180 days after the establishment of milestones under paragraph (1); and
(B) for projects for which a feasibility cost-sharing agreement is executed after the establishment of milestones under paragraph (1), not later than 90 days after the date on which the agreement is executed.
Beginning in the first full fiscal year after June 10, 2014, the Secretary shall-
(A) submit an annual report that lists all detailed project schedules under paragraph (2) and an explanation of any missed deadlines to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
(B) make publicly available, including on the Internet, a copy of the annual report described in subparagraph (A) not later than 14 days after date 2 on which a report is submitted to Congress.
If a District Engineer fails to meet any of the deadlines in the project schedule under paragraph (2), the District Engineer shall-
(A) not later than 30 days after each missed deadline, submit to the non-Federal interest a report detailing-
(i) why the District Engineer failed to meet the deadline; and
(ii) a revised project schedule reflecting amended deadlines for the feasibility study; and
(B) not later than 30 days after each missed deadline, make publicly available, including on the Internet, a copy of the amended project schedule described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
(
This Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(B), is
Section 903(b), referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(B), is section 903(b) of
The Water Resources Development Act of 2000, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is
2014-Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (g).
2007-Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Subsecs. (c) to (f).
2000-Subsec. (e).
"(1) expedite the completion of any on-going feasibility study for a project initiated before the date of enactment of this Act [June 10, 2014]; and
"(2) if the Secretary determines that the project is justified in a completed report, proceed directly to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design of the project in accordance with section 910 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2287)."
"(a)
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(4)
"(b)
"(1)
"(2)
"(A) the cost, time requirements, and other considerations relating to the implementation of independent peer review; and
"(B) objective criteria that may be used to determine the most effective application of independent peer review to feasibility reports for each type of water resources project.
"(3)
"(A) the results of the study conducted under paragraphs (1) and (2); and
"(B) in light of the results of the study, specific recommendations, if any, on a program for implementing independent peer review of feasibility reports.
"(4)
"(c)
"(1)
"(A) a review of state-of-the-art methods;
"(B) a review of the methods currently used by the Secretary;
"(C) a review of a sample of instances in which the Secretary has applied the methods identified under subparagraph (B) in the analysis of each type of water resources project; and
"(D) a comparative evaluation of the basis and validity of state-of-the-art methods identified under subparagraph (A) and the methods identified under subparagraphs (B) and (C).
"(2)
"(A) the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1); and
"(B) in light of the results of the study, specific recommendations for modifying any of the methods currently used by the Secretary for conducting economic and environmental analyses of water resources projects.
"(3)
1 See References in Text note below.
2 So in original. Probably should be preceded by "the".