Summary Analysis [United States Water Resources Council]. INSTITUTION Water Resources Council, Washington, D
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DOCUMENT RESUME 11 ED 066 334 SE 014 574 AUTHOR Roose, John B.; Cobb, Gary D. TITLE Summary Analysis [United States Water Resources Council]. INSTITUTION Water Resources Council, Washington, D. C. PUB DATE Jul 72 NOTE 338p. EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC-$13.16 DESCRIPTORS Administrative Principles; *Content Analysis; *Environment; Federal Government; Land Use; Planning; *Program Proposals; *Public Opinion; Standards; *Summative Evaluation; Water Resources ABSTRACT This report contains a summary and analysis ofpublic response to the Water Resources Council proposed principles and standards and its accompanying draft environmental impact statement for planning the use of water and related land resources as well as planning and evaluating water and related land resources programs and projects. Both written and oral statements (4,782) received inpublic review from interested citizens, persons speaking on behalf of organizations, and elected officials are compiled in the summary/analysis. Part I records quoted and summarized excerpts from the public record as well as general responses. Part II provides an analysis of public comment on issues identified in thepublicrecord. Generally the issues fall into the following major areas: (1) Implementation of the Principles and Standards, (2) Objectives, (3) Criteria for plan formulation and evaluation, (4) Program coverage and coordination, (5) Output and beneficiaries, (6) Cost sharing and allocation, and (7)Environmental statement. The treatment of each issue consists of a statement of the issue as proposed in the Principles and Standards, the frequency distribution of the views and comments on various sides of an issue, and a summary of the comments on one or both sides. Principles and Standards appeared in the Federal Register, December 21, 1971, Volume 36, Part II(ED 058 070) . (BL) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION TH IS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO. DUCEO EXACTLY AS RECEIVEO FROM \ THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ()RIG- \INATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR 0PIN IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY \ REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EOU- CATION POSITION OR POLICY. JULY, 1972 UNITED STATES WATER RESOURCES COUNCIL W. DON MAUGHAN, DIRECTOR This publication was prepared under the guidance of: John B. Roose, Assistant Director Gary D. Cobb, Deputy Assistant Director By an Inter-Departmental Work Group Gary L. Hickman Water Resources Council, Chairman Mary Lee Payton Water Resources Council John Coates, Jr. Department of the Interior Thomas C. Kasson Department of the Army Robert V. Brown Environmental Protection Agency James W. Mitchell Department of Agriculture James G. Christensen Interstate Conference on Water Problems We wish to thank Michele Trutanic, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fred Strack, Department of the Interior, Margaret Tifft and Phillip Schwartz, EPA, for their work with the work group, and Christopher Bowen, Department of Agriculture, for his help in organizing and editing the report. Our particular thanks go to the entire secretarial staff of the Water Resources Council.They worked diligently throughout each phase of the report, from opening and sorting the mail which comprised the written public response, to typing and proofing this Summary / An alys i s. A. Jr UNITED STATES WATER RESOURCES COUNCIL SUITE 800 2120 L STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20037 August 1972 FOREWORD We appreciate the depth of interest shown in the Water Resources Council's proposed Principles and Standards for planning water and land resources and in the accompanying draft Environmental Statement as printed in the Federal Register on December 21, 1971, Vol. 36, Part II, pages 24144-24194. The purpose of the 100-day review period announced in the Federal Register was to obtain the most comprehensive record and the broadest possible coverage of the views and comments of the interested public on the Council's proposals. The proposed Principles and Standards are for major Federal activities in water and related land resources and, when implemented, will be of major importance in determining the course of these activities for a number of years to come. Because of their far-reaching significance, the Water Resources Council believes that it has been extremely important to seek, and to carefully consider, the reactions of the interested public before the Council makes formal recommendations to the President for approval. This is the Summary/Analysis of both the written and oral state- ments received from interested citizens, persons speaking on behalf of organizations, and elected officials, and it represents a first major step in the careful consideration of the views and comments. At this stage we have not attempted to formulate revisions to the Principles and Standards.Instead, concerted effort has been made to objectively summarize and analyze the public response. Every comment received was given equal consideration and the rule "one man-.:one vote" was applied in the preparation of the 1. MEMBERS: SECRETARIES OF IN1ERIOR: AGRICULTURE: ARMY; HEALTH. EDUCATION AND WELFARE: TRANSPORTATION; CHAIRMAN. FEDERAL POWER COMMISSIO1s1 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: SECRETARIES OF COMMERCE: HOUSING AND URBAN DEVF.LOPMENT; ADMIIVISTRATOR. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYOBSERVERS: DIRECTOR. OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT Als10 BUDGET; ATTORNEY GENERAL; CHAIRMEN COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMEIVTAL QUALITY, RIVER BASIN COMMISSIONS 3 Summary/Analysis. We did not believe it appropriate to merge into this step of the process the technical and policy considera- tions attendant in any final recommendations that the Water Resources Council will make, particularly where the public's views on an issue are sharply divided. In compliance with the spirit and the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act, we have provided copies of this Summary/Analysis as well as copies of the entire public record to the Council on Environmental Quality. A full appreciation and understanding of the views and comments summarized in this report require knowledge of the Council's proposed Principles and Standards. Copies of the Federal Register containing the Council's proposals are available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22151. The Accession Number is PB-209 187, and charges of $3.00 for paper copy and 95for microfiche copy have been established. W. Don Maugha Director TABLE OF CONTENTS Page FOREWORD AVAILABILITY OF RECORD I. GENERAL SUMMARY 1 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. QUOTED EXCERPTS FROM THE PUBLIC RECORD 7 3. SUMMARIZED EXCERPTS FROM THE PUBLIC RECORD 40 4.GENERAL RESPONSES 45 II.ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC COMMENT ON ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN THE PUBLIC RECORD 59 1. ISSUES RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS 59 Opposition to the Principles and Standards 59 Implementation of Principles and Standards Should be Deferred 6 o 2. ISSUES RELATED TO PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS OBJECTIVES 6 o Environmental Quality Objective--Make Top Priority 60 Regional Development Objective--Drop or Retain 69 Social Well-Being Restored as a Major Objective 78 Recommendations for New Objectives 82 3. ISSUES RELATED TO CRITERIA FOR PLAN FORMULATION AND EVALUATION 89 Discount Rate--Higher or Lower 89 Benefit/Cost Ratio--Exclusive Use for Water Development Projects 108 Feasible Alternatives--More Consideration in Project Planning 109 Retroactive Application of the Principles and Standards 113 Use of OBERS Projections in Project Planning 118 Pag 4. ISSUES RELATED TO PROGRAM COVERAGE AND COORDINATION 121 Coverage of Agency Projects in the Principles and Standards 121 Separate Planning from Design and Construction Functions--Agency-Wise 124 Agency Coordination: Local, State, Regional, Federal 125 Public Participation 127 Executive Branch Versus Legislative Authority to Establish Principles and Standards 146 5. ISSUES RELATED TO OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS AND BENEFICIARIES 148 Benefits Distribution and Priority 148 Increased Recreation Output--Measurement of the Value to Users 161 6. ISSUES RELATED TO COST SHARING AND ALLOCATION 175 Beneficiaries Should Pay a Greater Share of Project Cost 176 Beneficiaries Should Not Pay More Than Ability 178 Clarity and Consistency of Cost Sharing Provisions 179 Cost Allocation and Non-Federal Reimbursement for Flow Augmentation 182 7. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT DOES NOT MEET REQUIREMENTS OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OF 1969 184 APPENDIX I TABULATION OF COMMENTS BY ISSUE AND STATE APPENDIX II INDEX TO COMMENTS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD iv AVAILABILITY OF RECORD "The'record of views and comments received during the public review period, including a transcript of the hearing, will be maintained for public inspection at the headquarters of the Water Resources Council, 2120 L Street, N. W.,Washington, D. C. 20037.Copies of the record, or portions thereof, will be fur- nished by the Council to any member of the public upon payment of the cost of reproducing the copies desired. " Federal Register, December 21, 1971. HOW TO INSPECT THE RECORD The record, including letters of comment and written and oral testimony, can be inspected during the hours of 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p. m., Mondaythrough Friday, at the headquarters of the Water Resources Council. Advance notice of your visit is not necessary but would be appreciated so as to allow for arrange- ment of facilities to meet the convenience of all members of the public who wish to inspect the record. HOW TO OBTAIN COPIES OF THE RECORD How: Send your request for copies indicating name of person presenting the statement and page numbers provided in Appendix II. Where: U.S. Water Resources Council 2120 L Street, N. W. Washington, D. C.20037 Cost: Copies made by photostat or otherwise, per page $0.50 Certification of each record as a true copy $1.00 Payment: Accompanying each completed order will be a billing for the services requested, payable upon receipt. Payment may be in the form either of personal check or bank draft drawn from a bank in the United States, postal money order, or cash. 7 Pay to: Remittances must be made payable to the order of the Treasurer of the United States. The Water Resources Council will assume no responsibility for cash which is lost in the mail.