284. 
a program. Would you think 10 days is sufficient notice under the Na- 
tional Environmental Policy Act? Also I might carry that one step 
further: Would you comment on the 120-day requirement as compared 
to the 10-day requirement ? 
General Groves. It would be very difficult for me to comment intelli- 
gently on the 10 days. I am really not familiar with the details of this 
particular case beyond what I read in the papers. 
As for the 120 days, our opinion is that this would be quite work- 
able. The thing that probably troubles us at first reading anyway is 
that it is not clear how many times you would have to do this and at 
what point, but the 120 days per se would be worthwhile, I am sure. 
Mr. Evererr. What was intended to be accomplished I think by the 
bill was to require any Federal department or agency to give at least 
120 days advance notice of a plan they intended to carry out. At the 
time the 120-day notice goes out comments and views from interested 
officials would be requested. And then, after 60 days, any comments 
that came in would be incorporated into this environmental impact 
statement and sent around to the different departments and agencies 
again as being the final plans for any recommendations that would 
enhance or mitigate the effects on fish and wildlife resources and the 
environment would have to be attached as conditions to the project. 
Would this give the Corps of Engineers any problem particularly 
with respect to its overall procedure? 
General Groves. It wouldn’t cause us any unusual problems. In one 
sense it would make our job easier because it would be very specific 
as to the requirement we would have to meet. I might point out, how- 
ever, that under our present procedures which have less time than 120 
days, we are being severely criticized by many people with whom we 
deal for taking too long. 
Mr. Everett. The Corps of Engineers does come within the cov- 
erage of the National Environmental Policy Act? 
General Groves. Yes, certainly. 
Mr. Evererr. We have had some department heads who claim that 
certain aspects of the programs did not. 
General Groves. There is no doubt in our mind, sir, and we have 
issued instructions to that effect to all the elements of the corps. 
Mr. Evererr. You mention in your statement a study that has been 
conducted as a result of the New York Bight program. I believe rec- 
ommendations were made in this study with respect to the corps. 
Have those recommendations been adopted by the corps? 
General Groves. Which particular study are we talking about, sir, 
the ad hoc committee of the Department of the Interior? 
Mr. Evererr. Yes, the one dated June 24, 1970, of the Secretary 
of the Interior. 
General Groves. Yes; I know the one you are talking about. This 
is a committee set up at the time the New York Bight study drew 
severe criticism in the papers. We have taken those recommendations 
verbatim and issued them to the element of the corps in the field and 
appended thereto a statement of ours saying that this is our policy 
and that it will be executed as is. : 
Mr. Evererr. Do you see any jurisdictional problems with respect 
to the administration over ocean dumping with regard to the Corps 
