beyond our own shores. Emerging nations have growing
had come to complete the transition from criteria passed
needs to develop and use their water resources wisely as their
into laws before 1969 to the priorities defined in NEPA and
nation-building expands. The lessons learned at home
more recent legislation. This Presidential updating did
provide the Corps of Engineers excellent credentials to
help "clear the. air" on the many water resource projects
export America's experiences to foreign allies and thus
conceived, justified and authorized ten, twenty, or thirty
improve the welfare and quality of life of their people while
years earlier under different criteria. Unfortunately, so
conserving and protecting their natural resources. The
much attention was paid to the few projects that were
look into the future may not be entirely clear, but we can be
deleted that the 98% which passed the review were obscured
sure that the road out of the Decade of the Environment and
from the public.
into the 1980's will lead in a different direction than
Over a year later, in June, 1978, the long awaited
which the nation and the Corps of Engineers traveled into
Presidential water policy was announced and forwarded to
the 1970's.
the Congress. Conservation has been added as a specific
component of both economic and environmental
We can also be sure that the Corps of Engineers stands
objectives. Sensitivity to environmental protection is a key
ready and is eager to devote itself to the emerging goals for
element of the new water policy.
solving our nation's water resource needs as an
environmentally conscious America moves into the future.
Thus, in total, President Carter's project review, in
The Corps of Engineers -like the Army of which it is a
effect, dropped the curtain on pre-NEPA approaches to
part-has a long and proud record of accomplishment and
project development and now his emerging national
service to the United States and its people.
policies will open the door to a new era of partnership
between environmental and conservation values on the one
THE CORPS CARES
hand and economic and developmental needs on the other.
The 1970's could well be called the Decade-of the
Environment in water resource matters and, for that matter,
in the history of the Corps of Engineers. No one can argue
that this period brought an irreversible impact for change
on the direction this nation is to follow in managing its
water resources in the future-and, consequently, in the
Lieutenant General, USA
role of the Corps of Engineers, not only as a manager of
Chief of Engineers
America's water resources but
as a steward of the
American environment. The effect of this change goes
Lowenthal, "The American Scene," The Geographical Review,
(New York, 1943). p. 193; "Floods and
Gabrielson,
American, CLVI (Feb. 1937) p. 101; St. Louis and Rock
Vol. 58. No. 1 (Jan. 1968) p. 72.
Wildlife,"
Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act (FEPCA), 7 U.S.C.
Island District Histories, all developed by Corps
Engineers Historical
et seq. (1970). as amended, 7 USCA Sections 136 et seq., and
Section
Division.
E.P.A. Regulations thereunder.
No.
77 Stat. 392.
Jorling, "The Federal Law of Air
Pollution Control," pp. 1059-61 of Federal Environmental Law (ELI-West,
No.
42 U.S.C., Sections 4321
No. 91-604, 42 U.S.C. Sections 1857 et seq. (1970).
1974).
33 U.S.C.A. Sections 1251 et seq.
No.
89-234.
No. 92-574, 42 U.S.C.A. Sections 4901
U.S.C. Sections 1271-1287 (1970).
U.S.C. Sections 688 et seq.
n.
n. 4.
of April
1824.
n. 5.
of May 24, 1824.
n. 7.
generally, The Corps in Perspective Since 1775, Publication of U.S.
v. Standard Oil 384 U.S. 224 (1966).
Dept. of the Army, Office of the Chief of Engineers, WASH., D.C. (1976).
Enchanted Enclosure: the Army Engineers
also see Baldwin,
CFR
1968).
and
National Park, Wash., D.C. (1976).
v.
430
119 (5th Cir. 1970). 401 U.S. 910 (1972).
"Three-Year Evolution," Water Spectrum, Vol. 5. No. 5 at p. 33.
33 U.S.C. Sections
Act of March 1, 1893, 24 Stat. 507.
Cowdrey, "Pioneering Environmental Law: The Army Corps of
Engineers and the Refuse Act," Pacific Historical Review, Vol
No. 3
(August, 1975).
GPO
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