Purpose
The Planning Assistance to States (PAS) program, also known as the Section 22 program, provides authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assist states, local governments, and other non-federal entities in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, use and conservation of water and related land resources.
Description
The needed planning assistance is determined by the individual states and tribes. The Corps accommodates as many studies as possible within the funding allotment. Typical studies are only done at a planning level of detail. They do not include detailed design for project construction. Studies fall into two categories: comprehensive plans and technical assistance.
Types of studies currently include water supply, water conservation, water quality modeling, watershed analysis, wetland evaluations, floodplain management, dam safety/failure analysis, flood risk reduction and environmental conservation/restoration.
Status
There are currently seven active PAS program studies in the St. Paul District.
Wisconsin
- Eau Claire River near Lake Altoona
Minnesota
- Big Sandy Lake Watershed Assessment and Fish Study
- Red River of the North Comprehensive Study
- Valley Branch Watershed District Comprehensive Study
- Lake Osakis Comprehensive Study Sauk River Watershed District
- Leech Lake Band Ojibwe Groundwater Study
Minnesota and North Dakota
- Red River of the North Long Term Flood Solutions Plan
- Red River of the North Bathymetric Surveys
- Red River of the North Comprehensive Study
- Red River Conveyance Study
Authority
The PAS program was authorized by Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1974 (Public Law 93‒251), as amended. Section 208 of WRDA 1992 amended WRDA 1974 to include eligible Native American Indian tribes as equivalent to a state.
Funding
Projects are cost shared 50/50 between the federal government and the non-federal sponsor. The sponsor is allowed to use work-in-kind as 100% of its cost share. Section 8119 of WRDA 2022 authorized waiving the cost share requirement of economically disadvantaged communities.