U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Consider San Francisco Bay Area as Potential Beneficial Use Pilot Program Site Under Section 1122 of the WIIN Act

On February 9th, BPC in collaboration with California State Coastal Conservancy, Save The Bay, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and The Bay Institute, sent a joint letter to top officials at the Department of the Army and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to request that the San Francisco Bay Area be included as one of the ten beneficial use pilot program sites to be established under Section 1122 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN). This month, Douglas W. Lamont, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), sent a letter to all five organizations in response to this request. The letter states that the Corps is developing implementation guidance for Section 1122 and will consider the San Francisco Bay Area as a potential pilot site once guidance is issued. Furthermore, the Corps will consider the group’s request to include representatives from the California State Coastal Conservancy, BCDC, and the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board as part of the regional beneficial use team that will be created if the San Francisco Bay Area is chosen as a program site. BPC thanks Mr. Lamont and the Corps for their consideration of our requests and looks forward to continuing this exciting effort.