§1962–3 Water Resources Principles and Guidelines

Summary

Requires that federal water projects follow national goals. They must promote long‑term economic growth, avoid using floodplains when that would be unwise (and limit harm when floodplains must be used), and protect or restore natural systems while making up for any unavoidable damage. Calls the Water Resources Council’s March 10, 1983 document “principles and guidelines.” The Secretary must issue updated principles no later than 2 years after November 8, 2007. The updates must use modern economic and risk tools, include public safety, account for benefits to low‑income communities and nonstructural options, look at how a project affects other projects in the same region or watershed, use current management approaches like integrated and adaptive management, and make sure projects are justified by public benefits. The Secretary must consult many federal agencies, get public and expert comment, send the revisions and explanations to two Congressional committees, and post them for the public, including online. The new principles replace the old ones for the Secretary’s projects except for projects or reevaluations already started before the new rules are issued (unless a non‑Federal partner asks to use them). Completed studies stay valid. After the revisions, the Secretary must tell Congress whether two subsections of a related law should be repealed.