296 



Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the In- 

 terior, it is provided tJiat, upon receipt of an applica- 

 tion for a permit to dredge or fill in navigable waters, 

 the District Engineer of the Corps of Engineers con- 

 cerned is required to send notices to all interested 

 parties, including the appropriate Regional Directors 

 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Serv- 

 ice and the appropriate state conservation, resources, 

 and water pollution agencies. The District Engineer 

 is given the initial responsibility of evaluating all rele- 

 vant factors in reachmg a decision as to whether the 

 particular permit involved should be granted or de- 

 nied. The Memorandum also provides that in case of 

 conflicting views the ultimate decision shall be made 

 by the Secretary of the Army after consultation with 

 the Secretary of the Interior. 



This Executive action has almost a virtual legisla- 

 tive imprimatur from the November 1967 Report of 

 the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fish- 



resources 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 tine request for c permit will 

 carefully evaluate the advantages and benefits of the 

 operations in relation to tJte lesultant 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 estab- 

 lished in accordance with law. • • « ." 



