Section 2031 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-114) called for revisions to the 1983 Principles and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies, resulting in the issuance of the Principles and Requirements (P&R) guidance document in March 2013 and the Interagency Guidelines in December 2014, which together comprise the Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines (PR&G). The PR&G are intended to provide a common framework and policy guidance for analyzing a diverse range of water resources projects, programs, activities, and related actions involving Federal investment in water resources.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will finalize a rule describing how it would apply the PR&G to the Corps’ civil works program and authorities.  Under this regulation, the Corps would inform its water resources investment decision-making by including considerations such as analyzing a broader range of long-term costs and benefits, enhancing collaboration, including a more thorough and transparent risk and uncertainty analyses, and improving resilience for dealing with emerging challenges, including climate change.

The Department of the Army completed an outreach strategy and engagement effort through publication of a Federal Register notice in June 2022 on the PR&G.  This engagement effort included an open docket for submission of comments, a series of virtual meetings with the public, and a series of virtual meetings with Tribes to solicit early input prior to embarking on a rulemaking action on agency specific procedures outlining how the Corps can best meet the policy goals of PR&G.  The Corps considered the input received during these engagements to inform the development of the proposed rule.   The Department of the Army conducted outreach on the proposed rule through publication of a Federal Register notice to solicit comment, creation of an open docket for submission of comments, and a series of webinars for Tribes and various stakeholders that provided an overview of the proposed rule and provided an additional venue for providing comment.  The Corps will consider the input received during these engagements to inform the development of the final rule.