50 



A FAIR, FLEXIBLE, AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH 



The USDA already has an appeals process in place and landowners will be able to appeal 

 SCS wetlands delineations through that administrative process. 



'• Delineation Training and Certification All employees ot Federal agencies who 

 conduct wetlands delineations will be lequiied to complete the interagency wetlands 

 delineation training program to improve accuracy and consistency in delineation in 

 Federal wetlands programs or have comparable training and experience. As appropriate, 

 State and Tribal agencies will also be encouraged to participate in the Federal training 

 program. In addition, by the end of 1993, the Corps will propose regulations for 

 implementing a certification program for private sector delineators. 



By requiring training of Federal delineators, jurisdictional determinations can be done 

 more accurately and consistently across the country. By encouraging the growth of a pool 

 of certified private sector wetlands consultants, jurisdictional determinations can be 

 performed far more quickly than if the job is solely the responsibility of Federal agency 

 persoimcl. In addition, the Coips will streamline the process by wluch it considers and 

 accepts delineations performed by certified wetlands consultants. 



• Promote Voluntary, Cooperative Programs. With 75 percent of the Nation's remaining 

 wetlands in the lower 48 States located on privately owned property, it is clear that 

 cooperation with the private sector in implementation of wetlands protection and 

 restoration activities is critical. Advance plaiming (see next issue) offers an excellent 

 opportunity to involve the public in general, and property owners in particular, in 

 developing and implementing wetlands protection and restoration plans. The 

 Administration will support plaiming activities that include cooperative activities with 

 property owners, and will increase support for programs that assist landowners in the 

 implementation of such plans through restoration, technical assistance and information 

 programs. 



B. ADVANCE PLANNING AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 



Issue Dennition: Typically, decisions affecting wetlands are made on a project-by-project, 

 permit-by-pcrmit basis. This often precludes the effective consideration of the cumulative 

 effects of piecemeal wetlands loss and degradation. It also hampers the ability of State, Tribal, 

 regional, and local governments to integrate wetlands conservation objectives into the planning, 

 management, and regulatory tools they use to make decisions regarding development and other 

 natural resource issues. This can often result in inconsistent and inefficient efforts among 

 agencies at all levels of government, and lustration and confusion among the public. 



In contrast, advance plaiming, particularly comprehensive planning conducted on a watershed 

 basis, offers the opportunity to have strong panicipation by State, Tribal, and local governments 

 and private citizens in designing and implementing specific solutions to the most pressing 

 environmental problems of that watershed. Advance planning generally involves at least the 



