§1252a Reservoir projects, water storage; modification; storage for other than for water quality, opinion of Federal agency, committee resolutions of approval; provisions inapplicable to projects with certain prescribed water quality benefits in relation to total project benefits

Summary

When the EPA Administrator decides under section 1252(b) that a reservoir’s storage for controlling streamflow for water quality is not needed, or needs a different amount, the agency that built the project (for example, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, or another federal agency) can change the project. Any storage no longer needed for water quality may be used for other allowed project purposes if the agency head thinks it is justified. If the water-quality benefits are at least 15% but not more than 25% of the project’s total benefits, the change only takes effect after the appropriate House and Senate committees adopt resolutions approving it. These rules do not apply when water-quality benefits exceed 25% of total benefits.