236.5—Policy and procedure.
The following policies and procedures set forth criteria to be applied in determining when EQ measures may be recommended for implementation by the Corps.
(a) Policy—
(1) Achievement of specified, study authority planning objectives.
Recommended plans must include measures for accomplishment of the primary purposes authorized by Congress.
(2) Relationship of EQ measures to a Corps water resource development.
Measures proposed for EQ must enhance, preserve or restore the environment of the study area. EQ opportunities created as a result of meeting study authority purposes should be pursued and, as appropriate, included in plans for Corps implementation. In addition, the recommended plan may also include separable EQ measures to meet established planning objectives. Such separable EQ measures for Corps implementation must be related to, or take advantage of, opportunities created by a water resource development to be recommended for implementation by the Corps of Engineers.
(3) Justification.
Recommended plans must be justified on the basis that combined beneficial NED and EQ effects outweigh combined adverse NED and EQ effects.
(4) Cost sharing.
Some features of plans required to foster EQ objectives in the Corps of Engineers program have well-defined laws or policies which establish cost sharing requirements. For instance, Pub. L. 89-72, as amended, defines cost sharing requirements for fish and wildlife enhancement. However, there are other features which may not be defined by law or policy. In those instances, cost sharing will be based on an analogy with established cost sharing policies or other similar Federal programs as described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. Cost sharing for EQ measures for which the Corps has no standard policy will be approved by HQDA (DAEN-CWP-E, C or W), WASH DC 20314, prior to proposing cost sharing to local interests.
(b) Procedures for approval—
(1) Without advance OCE approval.
The reporting officer may recommend separable EQ measures that satisfy any one of the following criteria:
(ii)
Required to complete or more fully develop proposed EQ measures partly on lands, including mitigation lands, required for the water resource development;
(iii)
More cost effective to implement or manage when directly integrated with the implementation or management of the water resource development.
(2) With advance approval.
Other separable EQ measures may be recommended with advance approval of the Director of Civil Works through the intensive management program (ER 1105-2-10). The appropriateness for including such measures will be based upon a consideration of factors which may include, but are not limited to:
(iv)
Certainty of the pending loss or significant degradation of the EQ resource in the absence of implementing the proposed EQ measure.
(vi)
Relationship of the EQ measures to assigned missions of other agencies and the capability for timely implementation by these agencies.