EP 1165-2-1
30 Jul 99
may be relatively minor, can have a significant regional or national
impact. At each level of the evaluation and review process it is
necessary to assess the cumulative beneficial and adverse effects of
individual project impacts. Significant effects should guide the
decisions.
e. Public Participation. The civil works program is conducted
in an atmosphere of public understanding, trust and mutual cooperation
in a manner responsive to public needs and desires. To this end
opportunities for public input to the decision making process are
provided.
f.
Program and Project Proponency.
(1) The Corps is a program proponent of the budgetary priority
purposes of commercial navigation, flood damage reduction (including
hurricane and storm damage reduction), and ecosystem restoration. For
commercial navigation and flood damage reduction, the emphasis of
Corps program proponency is promoting national economic development
while protecting the Nation's environment. Program proponency also
extends to restoration of degraded ecosystem functions and values with
a focus on ecological resources and functions associated with, or
directly dependent on, the hydrologic regime.
(2) Project proponency is the support of specific action and
expenditure of funds to promote navigation, flood damage reduction, or
ecosystem restoration. Federal project proponency evolves through the
project implementation process. Initially, when a study is started,
there is no Corps project proponency even though the non-Federal
sponsor may have a project which it supports. When a project
recommendation is made, the Corps becomes the proponent for specific
Federal investment in that project. This project proponency, however,
is necessarily conditioned on the budgetary process. Corps
unconditional proponency in advocating that a project should be built
cannot be given until construction funds are budgeted and appropriated
for the project.
g. Response to Goals and Priorities. The plan should respond
to the long-range development goals and priorities for the study area,
and to National policies and objectives. Many regions and basins have
long-range development goals and priorities, as specified in
assessments, framework studies, comprehensive basin studies, ecosystem
management plans, and in other sources. Any proposed plan should be
consistent with these objectives. To insure this consistency,
adequate coordination must be achieved with regional planning bodies
and all other interested parties.
3-2. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Section 102(2)(C) of NEPA
requires a detailed statement to accompany every recommendation or
report on proposals for legislation and other major Federal actions
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The
Corps normally prepares EISs for feasibility reports for
authorization and construction of major projects, for changes in
projects which increase size substantially or incorporate additional
purposes, and for major changes in the operation and/or maintenance of
completed projects. Environmental assessments are normally prepared
for other Corps actions except for certain minor and/or routine
actions which are categorically excluded from NEPA documentation. A
finding of no significant impact is prepared by the reporting officer
to accompany an assessment when it is determined that an EIS will not
be prepared. NEPA documentation is accomplished prior to
3-2
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