I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2353
To revise certain policies of the Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose
of improving the Corps’ community relations, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 27, 2001
Mr. TANCREDO (for himself, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr.
GILCHREST, Mr. TERRY, and Mr. HEFLEY) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture
A BILL
To revise certain policies of the Army Corps of Engineers
for the purpose of improving the Corps’ community rela-
tions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Army Corps of Engi-
neers Reform and Community Relations Improvement Act
of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States Army Corps of Engi-
neers is the primary Federal agency responsible for
developing and managing the Nation’s harbors, wa-
terways, shorelines and water resources.
(2) The United States has a backlog of more
than 
$54,000,000,000 
for 
water 
development
projects, $38,000,000,000 of which are for projects
that have begun construction or preconstruction, en-
gineering, and design but not yet been completed.
(3) The Corps’ civil works program budget for
construction of new water development projects in
recent years and in the foreseeable future has been
approximately $1,500,000,000.
(4) Due to the large disparity between budget
authority for authorized water resources projects
and the actual annual funding levels, the current
method of developing project construction schedules
based upon optimum funding levels is unrealistic
and does not reflect the likely true costs and benefits
of constructing most Corps’ projects.
(5) At the current rate of funding for the civil
works construction program, it would take more
than 50 years to eliminate the current backlog, not
accounting for the water development needs of the
next 50 years.
(6) It is in the national economic interest for
the Corps to manage the Nation’s harbors, water-
ways, shorelines, and water resources in the most ef-
ficient manner practically feasible and with the high-
est level of fiscal discipline.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows:
(1) To restore communication and cooperation
between the Army Corps of Engineers and State and
local governments.
(2) To improve relations between the Army
Corps of Engineers and communities neighboring its
project sites.
(3) To ensure that the Nation’s Federal water
resources investments are economically justified.
(4) To reduce the backlog of authorized
projects.
(5) To establish new criteria for projects.
(6) To modernize the calculation of costs and
benefits by the Army Corps of Engineers.
(7) To prioritize Army Corps of Engineers con-
struction spending.
(8) To share the costs of water resources in-
vestments with project beneficiaries.
SEC. 3. COMMUNITY RELATIONS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the
Chief of Engineers (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report
that includes the following:
(1) A list of all federally owned lands under the
jurisdiction of the Secretary.
(2) A list of such lands that no longer serve a
project purpose or that possess no demonstrated
compelling program or project need.
(3) A plan regarding cost-sharing for rehabilita-
tion, modification, operation, and maintenance of
recreation facilities at water resources projects under
the jurisdiction of the Secretary that are leased by
non-Federal interests.
SEC. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Before the Secretary or any other
public or private entity commences any work at a water
resources project under the jurisdiction of the Secretary,
the Secretary shall hold in the vicinity of the project a
public hearing for the purpose of receiving public com-
ments on the proposed work and the project.
(b) HEARING
AS ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—A
hearing under this section shall be in addition to any hear-
ing otherwise required for compliance with the National