[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10659-10660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03726]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Guidance To Establish Policies for the Agency Levee Safety 
Program Entitled Engineer Circular 1165-2-218

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has developed draft 
agency guidance, entitled Engineer Circular 1165-2-218, to consolidate 
and formalize policies and procedures for its Levee Safety Program. The 
intent of the Levee Safety Program is to understand, monitor, and 
manage flood risk associated with levees over time, provide a framework 
to sustain long term benefits, and adapt activities and actions based 
on the dynamic nature of flood risk. USACE is seeking feedback from 
non-federal levee sponsors, interested associations, Tribes, other 
federal agencies, and any other interested individuals on this proposed 
draft guidance document. This notice announces the availability of the 
draft Engineer Circular for comment. The comment period on the draft 
document starts with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register and will last for 60 days. The draft Engineer Circular is 
available for review on the USACE Levee Safety Program website (https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Levee-Safety-Program/) and at 
(http://www.regulations.gov) reference docket number COE-2020-0003.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number COE-
2020-0003 by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov). Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    Email: [email protected] (mail to: [email protected]) and 
include the docket number, COE-2020-0003, in the subject line of the 
message.
    Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CECW-EC/3E62, 441 G 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000.
    Hand Delivery/Courier: Due to security requirements, we cannot 
receive comments by hand delivery or courier.
    Instructions: If submitting comments through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal, direct your comments to docket number COE-2020-
0003. All comments received will be included in the public docket 
without change and may be made available on-line at http://www.regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov), including any 
personal information provided, unless the commenter indicates that the 
comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI, or 
otherwise protected, through regulations.gov or email. The 
regulations.gov website is an anonymous access system, which means we 
will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide 
it in the body of your comment. If you send an email directly to USACE 
without going through regulations.gov, your email address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, we recommend that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If we cannot read your comment because of 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, we may 
not be able to consider your comment. Electronic comments should avoid 
the use of any special characters, any form of encryption, and be free 
of any defects or viruses.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to www.regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov). All documents in the docket are listed. Although 
listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, such 
as CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 
Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on 
the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tammy Conforti at 202-761-4649, 
email [email protected] (mail to: [email protected]) or visit 
http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Levee-Safety-Program/ 
(http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Levee-Safety-Program/).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Engineer Circular 1165-2-218, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (USACE) Levee Safety Program, provides the context 
and policies for the implementation of program activities. Although 
Engineer Circulars are typically used to establish internal agency 
policy, this document has been drafted to include four volumes 
applicable to both USACE and non-federal levee sponsors. The Engineer 
Circular will be temporary in nature and will expire two years after 
the date of publication, providing USACE time to learn through 
implementation experience, identify clarifications or additional 
resources required, and to work with our partners in implementing the 
program. After two years, Engineer Circular 1165-2-218 will either be 
revised, rescinded, or converted to an Engineer Regulation, which does 
not expire.
    Questions to Shape Focus of Public Comment Review: The purpose of 
this review is to solicit feedback on clarity and understandability of 
the draft Engineer Circular; on clarity and appropriateness of roles 
and responsibilities related to the program; and on clarity of program 
objectives, requirements, and available support.

[[Page 10660]]

Commenters are encouraged to use the following questions to guide their 
feedback:
    Question 1: Are the goals and objectives of the USACE Levee Safety 
Program clearly stated? Please articulate any improvements or 
clarifications needed.
    Question 2: Are the roles and responsibilities of non-federal levee 
sponsors clearly described? Please describe any improvements or 
clarifications needed.
    Question 3: Are the activities and services provided by USACE 
understood? Please articulate any improvements or clarifications 
needed.
    Question 4: Is how and when USACE engages with non-federal levee 
sponsors and other stakeholders throughout program activities clearly 
described? Please describe any improvements or clarification needed.
    Question 5: Is it clear what assistance and support USACE can 
provide non-federal levee sponsors in the long-term management of flood 
risk? Please describe any improvements or clarifications needed.
    Question 6: Are there any other materials or resources that would 
be helpful for non-federal levee sponsors or communities related to 
managing levees?
    Question 7: Are there any opportunities to improve the USACE Levee 
Safety Program to further support public awareness of the risks and 
benefits of levees? Please identify specific activities or materials 
USACE should consider.
    Question 8: Are there any specific changes you would recommend to 
improve the USACE Levee Safety Program?
    Future Actions: In addition, USACE will be hosting two public 
webinars and five public meetings to provide an overview of the draft 
Engineer Circular and directions on how to provide comments. For 
information about the webinars and public meetings visit the USACE 
Civil Works Levee Safety Program website (http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Levee-Safety-Program/). Feedback and comments 
provided in response to this notice will be considered and the draft 
Engineer Circular will be updated as appropriate. When the final 
Engineer Circular is published, a notice will be placed in the Federal 
Register and on the USACE Civil Works Levee Safety Program website 
(http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Levee-Safety-Program/). 
The final document itself will be made available through the USACE 
publications website (http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/).

    Dated: February 19, 2020.
R.D. James,
Assistant Secretary of the Army, Civil Works.
[FR Doc. 2020-03726 Filed 2-24-20; 8:45 am]
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