Federal Register Notice to Solicit Input on Priority Policy Initiatives to Modernize Civil Works

The Department of the Army, Civil Works, to include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) (together, “Army”), are publishing this notice to announce an effort to modernize the Civil Works program of the Corps through a number of related policy initiatives. This effort includes a series of public and Tribal virtual meetings, as well as a public docket, to gather oral and written input that will be used to inform future decision-making related to: Native American/Tribal Nation issues; potential rulemaking actions regarding the Corps’ Regulatory Program’s implementing regulations for the National Historic Preservation Act as well as Civil Works implementation of the Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines; and, environmental justice, including definitions of certain terms used in policy making.

The comment period is now closed. Additional information regarding each policy initiative is below, including the slides from the webinars held in 2022.

Modernize Civil Works FRN Overview Meeting 22 June 2022.pdf

Modernize Civil Works FRN Tribal Issues Public Meeting 11 July 2022.pdf

Modernize Civil Works FRN Tribal Issues Tribal Meeting 07 July 2022.pdf

Additional Information on Policy Initiatives:

1)   USACE Tribal Consultation Policy

·      Tribal Consultation Policies and Related Documents

· Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004

· Government Accountability Office Report GAO-19-22

· Presidential Memorandum on Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Federal Decision Making, November 15, 2021

2)   Tribal Partnership Program

·      Current TPP Implementation Guidance

·      Draft TPP Comprehensive Guidance Outline

3)   Appendix C

·      Federal Register Notice Comments Summary

·      33 CFR 325, Appendix C

·      Interim Section 106 Guidance, 2005

·      Interim Section 106 Guidance, 2007

4)   Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines

·      Updated Principles, Requirements and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies

5)   Environmental Justice

·      Interim implementation guidance on environmental justice for the Civil Works program

· OMB Implementation Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative M-21-28

· Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

· Beta version of the CEQ Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool

· Environmental Protection Agency’s EJScreen tool

6)   WRDA Section 160, Definition of “Economically Disadvantaged Community”

· Proposed definition of “economically disadvantaged community”