United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-05-15 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-02-574 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-574 P0b002ee1803a1296 f:d02574 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-574 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-574 GAO-02-574 Environmental engineering Environmental monitoring Land management Water resources development Wildlife management Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program Other Written Product A03330 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Scientific Panel's Assessment of Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Guidance (15-MAY-02, GAO-02-574). Because projects such as deepening harbors and constructing dams could disturb fish and wildlife, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is required to mitigate potential damage. For example, acquiring lands to replace lost habitat, creating wetlands to replace lost wetlands, and planting seedlings and other vegetation to stabilize soils and prevent erosion. The Corps' Civil Works Program deals with commercial navigation and flood damage, while its Regulatory Program oversees primarily privately financed projects that affect water and related land resources. According to Corps engineers, 28 of the 47 water resources projects authorized since enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 required a fish and wildlife mitigation plan. Of those that received construction appropriations, less than 50 percent of the mitigation was completed before project construction started. Of the remaining 19, seven completed at least 50 percent of mitigation before initiating construction; two had not started construction but had done some mitigation; and ten had not started construction or mitigation. As of September 30, 2001, of the 34 projects where construction had begun, 16 had completed 100 percent of the mitigation. A panel of scientific experts rated as similar the overall quality of the national fish and wildlife mitigation of the Corps of Engineers' programs and those of the Federal Highway Administration's Federal-aid Highway Program. Some panelists indicated that guidance for the programs was strong because of its clarity, currency, or the inclusion of ample technical guidance. Some panelists were critical, however, of the three programs' guidance. They noted that the guidance emphasizes the determination and design stages to the detriment of the monitoring and evaluation stages, emphasizes wetlands to the detriment of other lands, or fails to require corrective actions where projects do not succeed. Based on the guidance alone, panelists expressed concerns about estimating the success that mitigation projects would have in restoring the natural hydrology and native vegetation and in supporting native fish and wildlife species. Further, factors other than guidance affect mitigation projects, such as major storms that are difficult to control, or invasive weeds or wildlife species that unexpectedly dominate the site. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-574/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-574.htm GAO-02-574 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-574 Other Written Product GAO-02-574; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Scientific Panel's Assessment of Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Guidance; Environmental engineering Environmental monitoring Land management Water resources development Wildlife management Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program Public Law 106-541