WRRDA Implementation Guidance from the US Army Corps of Engineers

Public PolicyWater

WRRDA Implementation Guidance from the US Army Corps of Engineers

By: Steven L. Stockton, P.E., SES, Director Civil Works, US Army Corps of Engineers

With the signing of WRRDA into law, we can expect a lot of offers to “help” in preparing implementation guidance for WRRDA.

The following guidance is provided for your use in responding to such offers:

First and foremost it is the Administration’s responsibility as the Executive Branch to execute the law of the land.  The Department of the Army is charged with this responsibility for the recently enacted Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA), and it is a responsibility that we take quite seriously.  We will be carrying out that responsibility through issuance of implementation guidance for the various provisions of WRRDA.  Many stakeholders have expressed an interest in assisting us in development of that guidance.  While we welcome hearing from our various stakeholders and value their views, the ultimate responsibility for issuance of WRRDA implementation guidance is ours.  Nevertheless, it is important that we hear from stakeholders and others in the non-Federal public and private sector.  Therefore, we will be holding listening sessions via webinar in the near future so that all interested parties can share with us their insight vis-à-vis WRRDA. During these listening sessions, all participants are welcome to provide any comments and views that they care to share with us for our consideration as we move forward with implementation of WRRDA.  In addition to participation in these listening sessions, interested parties are also encouraged to provide any comments and views to us or others in the Administration at any time; however, those comments should be provided in writing.  Please note that while we welcome participation and input from those in the non-Federal sector, it is paramount that such input be provided on a fair and transparent basis: we cannot participate in any activity that would either appear to give or that would give any member of that sector undue influence in the development or drafting of guidance.  Nor can we share any draft guidance with a non-Federal entity for review or comment, as draft guidance is pre-decisional. All implementation guidance will be widely shared once the guidance has been finalized.