EP 1165-2-1
30 Jul 99
step is a statement of the without project condition. It is the most
important step in the planning process because it is the baseline from
which alternative plans are formulated; benefits are measured; and
impacts are assessed. Since benefits and impact assessment are the
bases for plan comparison and selection, clear definition and full
documentation of the without project condition are essential. For
ecosystem restoration studies, inventory and forecast of past, present
and future environmental conditions require that some form of
qualitative measurement be defined and used. Where indicators or
other units of measure of ecosystem function or structure are used,
the models used to develop them must be fully described.
(3) Formulate Alternative Plans. An alternative plan consists
of a system of structural and/or nonstructural measures, strategies,
or programs formulated to alleviate specific problems or take
advantage of specific opportunities associated with the water and land
related resources in the planning area. Alternative plans are to be
formulated in a systematic manner to ensure that all reasonable
alternative solutions are evaluated. A full range of alternative
plans are identified at the beginning of the planning process and are
screened and refined in subsequent iterations throughout the planning
process. However, additional alternative plans may be introduced at
sponsor should be apprised of the need to develop alternative plans
during the feasibility study and the cost of the analyses to be
undertaken. A plan that reasonably maximizes net national economic
development (NED) benefits, consistent with protecting the nation's
environment, is to be identified as the NED Plan in the feasibility
report. Other plans which reduce net NED benefits in order to further
address other Federal, state, local and international concerns should
also be formulated. Specifically, plans contributing to ecosystem
restoration may be formulated. Plans should be in compliance with
existing statutes, administrative regulations, and common law or
propose the required changes in law. Each alternative plan is to be
formulated in consideration of four criteria described in the P&G:
Appropriate mitigation of adverse effects is to be an integral part of
each alternative plan. Existing resources plans, such as state water
resources plans, are to be considered as alternative plans if they are
within the scope of the planning effort.
(4) Evaluate Effects. The evaluation of effects is a
comparison of the with- and without-plan conditions for each
alternative. The evaluation is conducted by assessing or measuring
the differences between each with- and without-plan condition and by
appraising or weighting those differences. Four accounts are
established to facilitate evaluation and display effects of
alternative plans.
(a) The national economic development (NED) account displays
changes in the economic value of the national output of goods and
services.
(b) The environmental quality (EQ) account displays nonmonetary
effects on ecological, cultural, and aesthetic resources. Positive
and adverse effects of ecosystem restoration plans are displayed in
the EQ account as separate entries.
5-4