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<br />of ways. The regulatory agencies usually consider that their <br />own staff reviews of dam owners' plans are independent reviews <br />within the intent of the Guidelines. The Federal Energy <br />Regulatory Commission, however, may require the licensee to <br />retain a board of consultants to provide additional independent <br />reviews and advice on an important or difficult project. The <br />agencies that build and own dams provide for independent <br />reviews as follows: <br /> <br />Department of Agriculture. The Soil Conservation Service <br />and Forest Service have policies that specify the need <br />for independent review as dictated by the complexity of <br />the situation. Both agencies utilize independent review <br />both in-house as well as private consultants and other <br />Federal and State agencies. The SCS job approval system <br />requires that each significant dam is reviewed in one of <br />their National Technical Centers. <br /> <br />Corps of Engineers. The Corps provides at least one <br />level of in-house review on all significant actions; two <br />on special, complex or unique problems. Since these <br />reviews are accomplished at successively higher levels in <br />the Corps command structure, they are considered to be <br />independent reviews. In addition, the Corps has used <br />independent individual consultants or boards of consul- <br />tants on large or difficult projects, although the Corps <br />now reports that higher authority has directed that use of <br />boards of consultants be discontinued. <br /> <br />Bureau of Reclamation. An independent technical review <br />staff in the Office of the Assistant Commissioner for <br />Engineering and Research provides review services for the <br />Bureau of Reclamation and other Interior Department <br />agencies. The Bureau also uses outside consultants for <br />external reviews of important designs and special prob- <br />lems. <br /> <br />International Boundary and Water Commission. The IBWC <br />utilizes a board of consultants for periodic external <br />reviews of its dams and operations. <br /> <br />Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA also uses a continuing <br />board of consultants for external reviews on a periodic <br />basis. <br /> <br />The Department of Energy, the Fish and Wildlife Service, <br />the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the National Park Service <br />report obtaining external, independent reviews from a number <br />of Federal agencies, state agencies, and private engineering <br />firms. <br /> <br />Chapter 3 - page 20 <br />