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et acq.) relating to the control and prevention of water pollution in such waters 

 and the conservation of the Nation's natural resources and related environment, 

 including fish and wildlife and recreational values therein ; in recognition of our 

 joint responsibilities under Executive Order No. 11288 to improve water quality 

 through the prevention, control, and abatement of water ix)llution froin Federal 

 and federally licensed activities: and in recognition of other provisions of law 

 and policy, we, the two Secretaries, adopt the following policies and procedures : 



1. It is the policy of the two Secretaries that there shall be full coordination 

 and cooperation between their respective Departments on the above responsibili- 

 ties at all organizational levels, and it is their view that maximum efforts in the 

 discharge of those responsibilities, including the resolution of differing views, 

 must be undertaken at the earliest practicable time and at the field organiza- 

 tional unit most directly concerned. Accordingly. District Engineers of the U.S. 

 Army Corps of Engineers shall coordinate with the Regional Directors of the 

 Secretary of the Interior on fish and wildlife, recreation, and pollution problems 

 associated with dredging, filling, and excavation operations to be conducted 

 under permits issued under the 1899 Act in the navigable waters of the United 

 States, and they shall avail themselves of the technical advice and assistance 

 which such Directors may provide. 



2. The Secretary of the Army will seek the advice and counsel of the Secretary 

 of the Interior on diflicult cases. If the Secretary of the Interior advises that 

 proposed operations will unreasonably impair natural resource or the related 

 environment, including the fish and wildlife and recreational values thereof, or 

 will reduce the quality of such waters in violation of applicable water quality 

 standards, the Secretary of the Army in acting on the request for a permit will 

 carefull.v evaluate the advantages and benefits of the operations in relation to 

 the resultant loss or damage, including all data presented by the Secretary of 

 the Interior, and will either deny the permit or include such conditions in the 

 permit as he determines to be in the public interest, including provisions that 

 will assure compliance with water quality standards established in accordance 

 with law. 



PBOOBDUEES FOR CARRYING OUT THESE POLICIES 



1. Upon receipt of an application for a permit for dredging, filling, excavation, 

 or other related work in navigable waters of the United States, the District 

 Engineers shall send notices to all interested parties, including the appropriate 

 Regional Directors of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, the 

 United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service of the 

 Department of the Interior, and the appropriate State conservation, resources, 

 and water pollution agencies. 



2. Such Regional Directors of the Secretary of the Interior shall immediately 

 make such studies and investigations as they deem necessary or desirable, consult 

 with the appropriate States agencies, and advise the District Engineers whether 

 the work proposed by the permit applicant, including the deposit of any material 

 in or near the navigable waters of the United States, will reduce the quality 

 of such waters in violation of appMcable water quality standards or unreason- 

 ably impair natural resources or the related environment. 



3. The District Engineer will hold public hearings on permit applications 

 whenever response to a public notice indicates that hearings are desirable to 

 afford all interested parties full opportunity to be heard on objections raised. 



4. The District Engineer, in deciding whether a permit should be issued, shall 

 weigh all relevant factors in reaching his decision. In any case where Directors 

 of the Secretary of the Interior advise the District Engineers that proposed work 

 will impair the water quality in violation of applicable water quality standards 

 or unreasonably impair the natural resources or the related environment, he 

 shall, vdthin the limits of his responsibility, encourage the applicant to take steps 

 that will resolve the objections to the work. Failing in this respect, the District 

 Engineer shall forward the case for the consideration of the Chief of Engineers 

 and the appropriate Regional Director of the Secretary of the Interior shall sub- 

 mit his views and recommendations to his agency's Washington Headquarters. 



5. The Chief of Engineers shall refer to the Under Secretary of the Interior 

 all those eases referred to him containing unresolved substantive differences of 



