The Government Accountability Office has called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to create a guidance for information recording on federal water resources projects undertaken by nonfederal sponsors.
GAO said Tuesday USACE headquarters does not monitor information on nonfederal sponsor-led federal water resources projects such as reimbursements that the Corps has issued for the federal share of the projects.
The report stated USACE headquarters collects reimbursement information from Corps district officials but GAO received varying information from the headquarters and the districts.
District officials told GAO that USACE guidance does not establish clear roles and responsibilities for federal water resources projects while nonfederal sponsors claimed that the Corps does not have a definite guide on project implementation process.
USACE published implementation guidance for feasibility studies undertaken by nonfederal entities in February 2016, where the Corps said it is not authorized to assist nonfederal sponsors in such studies except in certain circumstances.
The Corps will also issue draft guidance for construction projects led by nonfederal sponsors later this year.
