Economic and Environmental Principles for Water and 

 Related Land Resources Implementation Studies 



These Principles are established pursuant to the 

 Water Resources Planning Act of 1965 (Pub. L. 89- 

 80), as amended (42 U.S.C. 1962a-2 and d-1). 

 These Principles supersede the Principles estab- 

 lished in connection with promulgation of principles, 

 standards and procedures at 18 CFR, Parts 711, 

 713, 714 and 716. 



1. Purpose and Scope 



These principles are intended to ensure proper 

 and consistent planning by Federal agencies in the 

 formulation and evaluation of water and related 

 land resources implementation studies. 



Implementation studies of the following agency 

 activities are covered by these principles: 



(a) Corps of Engineers (Civil Works) water re- 

 sources project plans; 



(b) Bureau of Reclamation water resources project 



plans; 



(c) Tennessee Valley Authority water resources 

 project plans; 



(d) Soil Conservation Service water resources pro- 



ject plans. 



Implementation studies are pre- or postauthoriza- 

 tion project formulation or evaluation studies under- 

 taken by Federal agencies. 



2. Federal Objective 



The Federal objective of water and related land 

 resources project planning is to contribute to na- 

 tional economic development consistent with pro- 

 tecting the Nation's environment, pursuant to na- 

 tional environmental statutes, applicable executive 

 orders, and other Federal planning requirements. 



(a) Water and related land resources project plans 



shall be formulated to alleviate problems and 

 take advantage of opportunities in ways that 

 contribute to this objective. 



(b) Contributions to national economic development 



(NED) are increases in the net value of the na- 

 tional output of goods and services, expressed 

 in monetary units. Contributions to NED are the 

 direct net benefits that accrue in the planning 

 area and the rest of the Nation. Contributions 

 to NED include increases in the net value of 

 those goods and services that are marketed, 

 and also of those that may not be marketed. 



3. State and Local Concerns 



Federal water resources planning is to be re- 

 sponsive to State and local concerns. Accordingly, 

 State and local participation is to be encouraged in 

 all aspects of water resources planning. Federal 

 agencies are to contact Governors or designated 

 State agencies for each affected State before initi- 

 ating studies, and to provide appropriate opportuni- 

 ties for State participation. It is recognized, howev- 

 er, that water projects which are local, regional, 

 statewide, or even interstate in scope do not nec- 

 essarily require a major role for the Federal Gov- 

 ernment; non-Federal, voluntary arrangements be- 

 tween affected jurisdictions may often be adequate. 

 States and localities are free to initiate planning 

 and implementation of water projects. 



4. International Concerns 



Federal water resources planning is to take into 

 account international implications, including treaty 

 obligations. Timely consultations with the relevant 

 foreign government should be undertaken when a 

 Federal water project is likely to have a significant 

 impact on any land or water resources within its 

 territorial boundaries. 



5. Alternative Plans 



Various alternative plans are to be formulated in 

 a systematic manner to ensure that all reasonable 

 alternatives are evaluated. 



(a) A plan that reasonably maximizes net national 



economic development benefits, consistent 

 with the Federal objective, is to be formulated. 

 This plan is to be identified as the NED plan. 



(b) Other plans which reduce net NED benefits in 



order to further address other Federal, State, 

 local, and international concerns not fully ad- 

 dressed by the NED plan should also be for- 

 mulated. 



(c) Plans may be formulated which require changes 



in existing statutes, administrative regulations, 

 and established common law; such required 

 changes are to be identified. 



(d) Each alternative plan is to be formulated in con- 



sideration of four criteria: completeness, effec- 

 tiveness, efficiency, and acceptability. Appropri- 

 ate mitigation of adverse effects is to be an in- 

 tegral part of each alternative plan. 



IV 



