Army Corps of Engineers Reform Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-2566
Sponsor: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Introduced: 2003-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Animals
Aquatic ecology
Army
Army Corps of Engineers
Arts, Culture, Religion
Biological diversity
Citizen participation
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil engineering
Commerce
Conflict of interests
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Cost effectiveness
Cultural property
Department of Defense
Economic development
Economic forecasting
Economic impact statements
Economic research
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Emergency Management
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to water resources development
Finance and Financial Sector
Fishery management
Flood control
Flood damage prevention
Freedom of information
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Habitat conservation
Hydrology
Infrastructure
Internet
Law
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Navigation
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Restoration ecology
Right of petition
Science, Technology, Communications
Transportation and Public Works
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-23
text: Army Corps of Engineers Reform Act of 2003 - Amends the Flood Control Act of 1970 to make economic development and environmental protection and restoration co-equal goals of water resources planning and development. Requires the Secretary of the Army to revise water resource project principles and guidelines of the Army Corps of Engineers to reflect such goals. 
Directs the Secretary to establish, for a project that is authorized or substantially modified, a stakeholder advisory committee to assist with the development of project feasibility studies, general reevaluation studies, and environmental impact statements. Requires specified project studies and statements to be subject to review by an independent panel of experts, including projects: (1) having an estimated total cost of more than $25 million; (2) likely to significantly adversely impact fish or wildlife; (3) likely to significantly adversely impact local environmental, cultural, or other resources; or (4) determined to be controversial. Establishes an Office of Independent Review for project reviews.
Requires information related to project analysis to be made available to the public on the Internet (with exceptions for trade secrets).
Prohibits the authorization or substantial modification of a project unless it minimizes adverse impacts on the natural hydrologic patterns, value, or diversity of aquatic ecosystems.
Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to require the full and concurrent mitigation of authorized projects.
Requires the Secretary to establish a record keeping system to track wetland and other habitat types impacted by authorized projects. Requires the public availability of such information.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2003-06-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2003-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-06-23
text: Introduced in House