Planning Assistance to States

Wetland Evaluation

Authority and Scope. Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1974, as amended, provides authority for the Corps of Engineers to assist the States, local governments, and other non-Federal entities in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, utilization, and conservation of water and related land. Section 208 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 amended the WRDA of 1974 to include Native American Tribes as equivalent to a State.

Funding. The Planning Assistance to States (PAS) Program is funded annually by Congress. Federal allotments for each State or Tribe from the nation-wide appropriation are limited to $500,000 annually, but typically are much less. Individual studies, of which there may be more than one per State or Tribe per year, generally cost $25,000 to $75,000. These studies are cost shared on a 50 percent Federal-50 percent non-Federal basis.

Program Development. The needed planning assistance is determined by the individual States and Tribes. Every year, each State and Indian Tribe can provide the Corps of Engineers its request for studies under the program, and the Corps then accommodates as many studies as possible within the funding allotment. Typical studies are only planning level of detail; they do not include detailed design for project construction. The studies generally involve the analysis of existing data for planning purposes using standard engineering techniques although some data collection is often necessary. Most studies become the basis for State or Tribal and local planning decisions. To assist in expediting a request for Planning Assistance to States activities, a sample letter and Cost Sharing Agreement are included.

Typical Studies. The program can encompass many types of studies dealing with water resources issues. Types of studies conducted in recent years under the program include the following:

Water Supply and Demand Studies
Water Quality Studies
Environmental Conservation/Restoration Studies
Wetlands Evaluation Studies
Dam Safety/Failure Studies
Flood Damage Reduction Studies
Flood Plain Management Studies
Coastal Zone Management/Protection Studies
Harbor/Port Studies

How to Request Assistance. State, local government, and Tribal officials who are interested in obtaining planning assistance under this Program can contact the appropriate Corps office for further details. Alternatively, interested parties can contact the appropriate State or Tribal Planning Assistance to States coordinator to request assistance. In either case, the Corps will coordinate all requests for assistance with the State or Tribal Planning Assistance to States coordinator to ensure that studies are initiated on State or Tribal prioritized needs.

Return to the Water Resources Planning Home Page.

Return to the Detroit District Home Page.