§ 3932. Reports to Congress

(a) In general The Secretary, in consultation and cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall prepare and submit to the committees—

(1) by March 30, 1987, a report regarding the status, condition, and trends of wetlands in the lower Mississippi alluvial plain and the prairie pothole regions of the United States; and

(2) by September 30, 1987, a report regarding trends of wetlands in all other areas of the United States.

(b) Contents of reports The reports required under subsection (a) of this section shall contain—

(1) an analysis of the factors responsible for wetlands destruction, degradation, protection and enhancement;

(2) a compilation and analysis of Federal statutory and regulatory mechanisms, including expenditures, financial assistance, and tax provisions which—

(A) induce wetlands destruction or degradation; or

(B) protect or enhance wetlands;

(3) a compilation and analysis of Federal expenditures resulting from wetlands destruction, degradation, protection or enhancement;

(4) an analysis of public and private patterns of ownership of wetlands;

(5) an analysis of the environmental and economic impact of eliminating or restricting future Federal expenditures and financial assistance, whether direct or indirect, which have the effect of encouraging the destruction, degradation, protection or enhancement of wetlands, including—

(A) public works expenditures;

(B) assistance programs such as price support programs, commodity loans and purchase programs and disaster assistance programs;

(C) soil conservation programs; and

(D) certain income tax provisions;

(6) an analysis of the environmental and economic impact of failure to restrict future Federal expenditures, financial assistance, and tax provisions which have the effect of encouraging the destruction, degradation, protection or enhancement of wetlands, including—

(A) assistance for normal silviculture activity (such as plowing, seeding, planting, cultivating, minor drainage, or harvesting for the production of fiber or forest products);

(B) Federal expenditures required incident to studies, evaluations, design, construction, operation, maintenance, or rehabilitation of Federal water resource development activities, including channel improvements;

(C) the commodity loans and purchases program and cotton, feed grain, wheat, and rice production stabilization programs administered by the Department of Agriculture; and

(D) Federal expenditures for the construction of publicly owned or publicly operated highways, roads, structures, or facilities that are essential links in a larger network or system; and

(7) recommendations for the conservation of wetlands resources based on an evaluation and comparison of all management alternatives, and combinations of management alternatives, such as State and local actions, Federal actions, and initiatives by private organizations and individuals.

(Pub. L. 99–645, title IV, § 402, Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3589.)