42 USC 1962 - Water resources principles and guidelines

Collapse to view only § 1962-3. Water resources principles and guidelines

§ 1962. Congressional statement of policy
§ 1962-1. Effect on existing laws
§ 1962-2. Congressional statement of objectives
§ 1962-3. Water resources principles and guidelines
§ 1962-4. Implementation of water resources principles and requirements

§ 1962. Congressional statement of policy

In order to meet the rapidly expanding demands for water throughout the Nation, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress to encourage the conservation, development, and utilization of water and related land resources of the United States on a comprehensive and coordinated basis by the Federal Government, States, localities, and private enterprise with the cooperation of all affected Federal agencies, States, local governments, individuals, corporations, business enterprises, and others concerned.

(Pub. L. 89–80, § 2, July 22, 1965, 79 Stat. 244.)

§ 1962–1. Effect on existing laws

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed—

(a) to expand or diminish either Federal or State jurisdiction, responsibility, or rights in the field of water resources planning, development, or control; nor to displace, supersede, limit or modify any interstate compact or the jurisdiction or responsibility of any legally established joint or common agency of two or more States, or of two or more States and the Federal Government; nor to limit the authority of Congress to authorize and fund projects;

(b) to change or otherwise affect the authority or responsibility of any Federal official in the discharge of the duties of his office except as required to carry out the provisions of this chapter with respect to the preparation and review of comprehensive regional or river basin plans and the formulation and evaluation of Federal water and related land resources projects;

(c) as superseding, modifying, or repealing existing laws applicable to the various Federal agencies which are authorized to develop or participate in the development of water and related land resources or to exercise licensing or regulatory functions in relation thereto, except as required to carry out the provisions of this chapter; nor to affect the jurisdiction, powers, or prerogatives of the International Joint Commission, United States and Canada, the Permanent Engineering Board and the United States Operating Entity or Entities established pursuant to the Columbia River Basin Treaty, signed at Washington, January 17, 1961, or the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico;

(d) as authorizing any entity established or acting under the provisions hereof to study, plan, or recommend the transfer of waters between areas under the jurisdiction of more than one river basin commission or entity performing the function of a river basin commission.

(Pub. L. 89–80, § 3, July 22, 1965, 79 Stat. 244.)

§ 1962–2. Congressional statement of objectives

It is the intent of Congress that the objectives of enhancing regional economic development, the quality of the total environment, including its protection and improvement, the well-being of the people of the United States, and the national economic development are the objectives to be included in federally financed water resource projects (including shore protection projects such as projects for beach nourishment, including the replacement of sand), and in the evaluation of benefits and cost attributable thereto, giving due consideration to the most feasible alternative means of accomplishing these objectives.

(Pub. L. 91–611, title II, § 209, Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1829; Pub. L. 104–303, title II, § 227(f), Oct. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 3703.)

§ 1962–3. Water resources principles and guidelines

(a) National water resources planning policyIt is the policy of the United States that all water resources projects should reflect national priorities, encourage economic development, and protect the environment by—

(1) seeking to maximize sustainable economic development;

(2) seeking to avoid the unwise use of floodplains and flood-prone areas and minimizing adverse impacts and vulnerabilities in any case in which a floodplain or flood-prone area must be used; and

(3) protecting and restoring the functions of natural systems and mitigating any unavoidable damage to natural systems.

(b) Principles and guidelines

(1) Principles and guidelines defined

(2) In general

(3) ConsiderationsIn developing revisions to the principles and guidelines under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall evaluate the consistency of the principles and guidelines with, and ensure that the principles and guidelines address, the following:

(A) The use of best available economic principles and analytical techniques, including techniques in risk and uncertainty analysis.

(B) The assessment and incorporation of public safety in the formulation of alternatives and recommended plans.

(C) Assessment methods that reflect the value of projects for low-income communities and projects that use nonstructural approaches to water resources development and management.

(D) The assessment and evaluation of the interaction of a project with other water resources projects and programs within a region or watershed.

(E) The use of contemporary water resources paradigms, including integrated water resources management and adaptive management.

(F) Evaluation methods that ensure that water resources projects are justified by public benefits.

(4) Consultation and public participationIn carrying out paragraph (2), the Secretary shall—

(A) consult with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Council on Environmental Quality; and

(B) solicit and consider public and expert comments.

(5) PublicationThe Secretary shall—

(A) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives copies of—

(i) the revisions to the principles and guidelines for use by the Secretary; and

(ii) an explanation of the intent of each revision, how each revision is consistent with this section, and the probable impact of each revision on water resources projects carried out by the Secretary; and

(B) make the revisions to the principles and guidelines for use by the Secretary available to the public, including on the Internet.

(6) Effect

(7) ApplicabilityAfter the date of issuance of the revisions to the principles and guidelines, the revisions shall apply—

(A) to all water resources projects carried out by the Secretary, other than projects for which the Secretary has commenced a feasibility study before the date of such issuance;

(B) at the request of a non-Federal interest, to a water resources project for which the Secretary has commenced a feasibility study before the date of such issuance; and

(C) to the reevaluation or modification of a water resources project, other than a reevaluation or modification that has been commenced by the Secretary before the date of such issuance.

(8) Existing studies

(9) Recommendation

(Pub. L. 110–114, title II, § 2031, Nov. 8, 2007, 121 Stat. 1082.)

§ 1962–4. Implementation of water resources principles and requirements

(a) In general

(b) Development of future water resources development projectsThe procedures required by subsection (a) shall ensure that the Secretary, in the formulation of future water resources development projects—

(1) develops such projects in accordance with—

(A) the guiding principles established by the principles and requirements; and

(B) the national water resources planning policy established by section 1962–3(a) of this title; and

(2) fully identifies and analyzes national economic development benefits, regional economic development benefits, environmental quality benefits, and other societal effects.

(d) Public review, notice, and commentIn issuing, reviewing, and revising the procedures required by this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) provide notice to interested non-Federal stakeholders of the Secretary’s intent to revise the procedures;

(2) provide opportunities for interested non-Federal stakeholders to engage with, and provide input and recommendations to, the Secretary on the revision of the procedures; and

(3) solicit and consider public and expert comments.

(e) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Interagency guidelines

(2) Principles and requirements

(Pub. L. 116–260, div. AA, title I, § 110, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2624.)