To provide for a water resources construction project prioritization report.

SA 4684. Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Feingold, and Mr. Lieberman)
proposed an amendment to the bill S. 728, to provide for the
consideration and development of water and related resources, to
authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various projects for
improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States, and for other
purposes; as follows:

On page 76 between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:

SEC. 2007. WATER RESOURCES CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
PRIORITIZATION REPORT.

(a) Prioritization Report.--
(1) In general.--On the third Tuesday of January of each
year beginning January 2007, the Water Resources Planning
Coordinating Committee established under section 2006(a)
(referred to in this section as the ``Coordinating
Committee'') shall submit to the Committees on Environment
and Public Works and Appropriations of the Senate, the
Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the
Office of Management and Budget, and make available to the
public on the Internet, a prioritization report describing
Corps of Engineers water resources projects authorized for
construction.
(2) Inclusions.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall
include, at a minimum, a description of--
(A) each water resources project included in the fiscal
transparency report under section 2004(b)(1);
(B) each water resources project authorized for
construction--
(i) on or after the date of enactment of this Act; or
(ii) during the 10-year period ending on the date of
enactment of this Act; and
(C) other water resources projects authorized for
construction, as the Coordinating Committee and the Secretary
determine to be appropriate.
(3) Prioritization requirements.--
(A) In general.--Each project described in a report under
paragraph (1) shall--
(i) be categorized by project type; and
(ii) be classified into a tier system of descending
priority, to be established by the Coordinating Committee, in
cooperation with the Secretary, in a manner that reflects the
extent to which the project achieves national priority
criteria established under subsection (b).
(B) Multipurpose projects.--Each multipurpose project
described in a report under paragraph (1) shall--
(i) be classified by the project type that best represents
the primary project purpose, as determined by the
Coordinating Committee; and
(ii) be classified into the tier system described in
subparagraph (A)(ii) within that project type.
(C) Tier system requirements.--In establishing a tier
system under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary shall ensure
that--
(i) each tier is limited to $5,000,000,000 in total
authorized project costs; and
(ii) includes not more than 100 projects.
(4) Requirement.--In preparing reports under paragraph (1),
the Coordinating Committee shall balance, to the maximum
extent practicable--
(A) stability in project prioritization between reports;
and
(B) recognition of newly-authorized construction projects
and changing needs of the United States.
(b) National Priority Criteria.--
(1) In general.--In preparing a report under subsection
(a), the Coordinating Committee shall prioritize water
resources construction projects within the applicable
category based on an assessment by the Coordinating Committee
of the following criteria:
(A) For flood and storm damage reduction projects, the
extent to which the project--
(i) addresses critical flood damage reduction needs of the
United States, including by reducing the risks to loss of
life by considering current protection levels; and
(ii) avoids increasing risks to human life or damages to
property in the case of large flood events, avoids adverse
environmental impacts, or produces environmental benefits.
(B) For navigation projects, the extent to which the
project--
(i) addresses priority navigation needs of the United
States, including by having a high probability of producing
the economic benefits projected with respect to the project
and reflecting regional planning needs, as applicable; and
(ii) avoids adverse environmental impacts.
(C) For environmental restoration projects, the extent to
which the project--
(i) addresses priority environmental restoration needs of
the United States, including by restoring the natural
hydrologic processes and spatial extent of an aquatic habitat
while being, to the maximum extent practicable, self-
sustaining; and
(ii) is cost-effective or produces economic benefits.
(2) Benefit-to-cost ratios.--In prioritizing water
resources projects under subsection (a)(3) that require
benefit-to-cost ratios for inclusion in a report under
subsection (a)(1), the Coordinating Committee shall assess
and take into consideration the benefit-to-cost ratio and the
remaining benefit-to-cost ratio of each project.
(3) Factors for consideration.--In preparing reports under
subsection (a)(1), the Coordinating Committee may take into
consideration any additional criteria or subcriteria, if the
criteria or subcriteria are fully explained in the report.
(4) State prioritization determinations.--The Coordinating
Committee shall establish a process by which each State may
submit to the Coordinating Committee for consideration in
carrying out this subsection any prioritization determination
of the State with respect to a water resources project in the
State.
(c) Recommendations.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Coordinating Committee shall
submit to Congress proposed recommendations with respect to--
(A) a process to prioritize water resources projects across
project type;
(B) a process to prioritize ongoing operational activities
carried out by the Corps of Engineers;
(C) a process to address in the prioritization process
recreation and other ancillary benefits resulting from the
construction of Corps of Engineers projects; and
(D) potential improvements to the prioritization process
established under this section.
(2) Contracts with other entities.--The Coordinating
Committee may offer to enter into a contract with the
National Academy of Public Administration or any similar
entity to assist in developing recommendations under this
subsection.

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