WSP04728

• File Number: 8030
• Description: Section D General Correspondence-Other Organizations
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 9/10/1973
• Author: National Archives
• Title: US Water Resources Council - Federal Register - USWRC-Water and Related Land Resources - Establishment of Principles and Standards for Planning
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

D. Rellponllibllity f'or Applying Standilrdll

lL OBJECTrvES

The Federal chail"rnan il.nd the representatives of the Federal
agencies participOLting in a river basin cornmiSllian established under
the Water Rellaurcell Planni.ng Act arl!l responsible for applying thel!le
standards.

A. Introduction

The Principle&" tor Planning Water oUIC Land Rellourccll define the
objectives of national economic development and environmental quality.
These objectives provide the basis tor tbe formulation of State, region,
and river basin planll far the. use of' water and land resource&" to meet
foreseeable ahort- and long~term needs and ha...re been expliciUy stated
or implied in uwnerous congressional enactInents and Executive actions.
The mOllt natable of these actions in water and related areas are sum-
marbed below.

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The study director provided or dellignated by the Water ReBources
Council. or by river basin conunisl!lions (in their areaB) and Federal
members of' coordinating bodies established or designated by the
Council to carry out framework studies aad assessments and re-
gional or river basin planning studies are responsible for applying
these standards.

In the Flood Control Act of 1936, the Congreu declared that bene-
fits to whomsoever they znay accrue of' Fecleral.projecta abould exceed
costs. Interpretation of this sta.t\,1te has re.ulted in development of
various analytical procedures to evaluate the benefits and coats of pro-
pO!led project.. 'Tbese procedul'es have ~entered a.round a national
economk efficiency analysis and were fir.t published as ''Proposed
Practices for Ec.oDomic AnalysiB of' River Balin Proje~t!l" in May 1950
and revised in May 1958. Budget Bureau Circ:.ular No. A~47 was issued
on December 31, 1':152, informing the agencies of cODsideratioDs which
would guide the Bureau of the Budget in it. e;.raluatiana of projects and
requiring uniform data. that would parmit comparisons among projects.

The admini.trator of .e.ach Federal program or federally a'listed
program covered under thi. .ection is responsible for applying tbese
t1tandardtl to hiB program. Each Federal administrator shall follow
these .tandardB in establilhing agency procedures for evaluation of'
prograJnB and projeCh for conservation, development, and utiliza-
tion of water and land resources.

The Board of DirectorB of' the Tennl'J!lsee Valley Authority,
re.BpoDlible for (ramework stu.dies and assessments, regional and
river basin pla.nnitlg studies and implementation studies far the
Tennell see River Baaitl, and the Fei:l.eral representatives Qf' other
entities performing the f'unctions of' a. river basin commi!l8ion ahall
apply tbese lItandards except for any adjustmenh required by law or
Executive order or for epecial situations where the application of
the.e standards is not pn.ctkal.

On Odober 6, 1961, the President requested the Secretaries of
I Interior, Agriculture, Army, and Health, Education, and WeUare to
review existing eva.luation standards a.nd to reconunend improvemenb.
: . Their report, "Policies, Standards, and Procedure I in the Formulation,
EV'llu.ation, and Review of plans for Use and Development of Water and
Related La.nd Resource.," was approved by the P.relJident on May IS,
196Z, a.nd published all Senate Document No. 97, 87th Congresll, 2d
Senion. Thill docum~nt replaced Budget Bureau Circular No. A.47
and in tu.rn ba. been .uper.eded by the "Principles lor PlaIUling Water
and Land Re.ource.,II upon their approval by the Pre&idcnt, and by
these "Standa.rds for Planning Water and Land Relources."

Proposed Federal agency prace.dures, and revision. thereto,' to
ilnplement these standards will be referred to the Water Resources
Council for review for consiatency with these standards.

E. Schedule for ApplvinR Standards

The principle I and standard. will apply to alllevela of planning
studies. For Authorized but twIunded projects the principles a.cd
standardl will he applied on a lelective basis to be detennined by
the head ot the a.gency, with opportunity tor BUgge.tions from the
Water Rellources Council, and other governmental entities. Auth~
orir;ed plans 01' projects that are .ubstantially ref'ormulated as a
result of applica.tion of these principles and standards will be
lJubmitted to Congress for reauthorization. Sepat'able and in-
dependent elements of a project or a IJystem alao would be subject
to review prior to funding for construction.

By enacting laws and takiIlg action. enUlnerated below and others,
the Congress and the Pre.ident have broadened the objectives to be
conBidered in water and land relources planning.

The two obje.ctives as defined in the principles and set forth in
more detail in thell!l standards provide a. flexible planning framework
that 1s responsive to and can accornrno(Jate changing national needs
a.nd priorities.

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FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 38, NO. 174-MONDAY, SE'PTE'MBER 10, 1973

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