U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Section 7001 Report on Future Studies and Projects

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Section 7001 Report on Future Studies and Projects

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Section 7001 Report on Future Studies and Projects

Updated April 23, 2025 (IN11118)

Congress specifically authorizes most water resource development studies, projects, and other assistance activities performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) typically through Water Resources Development Acts (WRDAs). Most project-specific authorizations in WRDAs fall into one of four categories: feasibility studies, construction projects, environmental infrastructure (EI) assistance, or modifications to existing authorizations.

In 2014, amid congressional earmark moratorium policies that prohibited earmarks in authorization and appropriations legislation during the 112th-116th Congresses, Congress established an annual process for submitting and reporting nonfederal proposals for site-specific water resource studies and projects that require congressional authorization. It was enacted as Section 7001 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA 2014; P.L. 113-121, 33 U.S.C. §2282d). Although policies changed after the 116th Congress to allow for certain earmarks, the Section 7001 process remains active and Reports to Congress on Future Water Resources Development (i.e., Section 7001 reports) continue to inform WRDA development.

The Section 7001 Process

The Section 7001 process begins with a USACE call for nonfederal proposals and concludes with a report that the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASACW) transmits to the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee (Figure 1). These reports, among other input, may inform the congressional development of subsequent WRDAs. Note that inclusion of a proposal in a Section 7001 report provides neither congressional authorization nor appropriation; rather, inclusion facilitates congressional consideration of the proposal's authorization.

Figure 1. General Section 7001 Process for Nonfederal Submissions

Source: Congressional Research Service.

Notes: EPW = Environment and Public Works Committee. T&I = Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. WRDA = Water Resources Development Act. The Section 7001 process is one of multiple inputs informing WRDA development.

The ASACW typically announces a call for proposals from nonfederal interests through a Federal Register notice in the spring, and USACE's report is due to the congressional committees in February of the following year, although the deadline is not always met. For example, the ASACW transmitted the 2024 Section 7001 report in March 2024 and the 2025 Section 7001 report in April 2025. The nonfederal proposal submission period for the 2026 Section 7001 report opened on April 17, 2025, with nonfederal proposals due on August 15, 2025. The report is due to the House T&I and Senate EPW committees in February 2026.

Section 7001 Report Requirements

Section 7001 of WRRDA 2014, as amended, directs the ASACW to submit an annual report that includes (1) proposals submitted by nonfederal interests in response to the Federal Register notice and (2) reports by the Chief of Engineers (i.e., Chief's reports) for completed studies.

Nonfederal Proposals

The statute indicates that the proposals submitted by nonfederal interests are to be for

feasibility studies;

modifications to study and project authorities; and

modifications to EI assistance authorities.

In addition, Section 7001 requires nonfederal proposals to meet five criteria to be included in the report:

(i) are related to the missions and authorities of USACE;

(ii) require specific congressional authorization, including by an Act of Congress;

(iii) have not been congressionally authorized;

(iv) have not been included in any previous annual report; and

(v) if authorized, could be carried out by the USACE.

Section 7001 reports include only those proposals that the ASACW determines meet all five criteria. Proposals that do not meet all five criteria are placed in the report's appendix.

USACE adjusted the 2021-2025 solicitations pursuant to congressional direction to expand eligibility for inclusion in the report to include

proposals whose primary purpose is municipal or agricultural water supply (per direction from §127 of WRDA 2020; Division AA of P.L. 116-260), and

proposals for recreation or hydropower, if undertaken in conjunction with a project or effort within a USACE mission.

Nonfederal proposals are to include a description of the proposed activity and its relation to USACE missions and authorities, a statement of support and financial ability from sponsoring nonfederal interests, and federal and nonfederal shares of the proposed activity's estimated cost, among other requirements. According to USACE, nonfederal interests do not need to submit completed feasibility reports through the Section 7001 proposal process before pursuing construction authorization.

In WRDA 2020, Congress directed the ASACW to provide assistance to nonfederal interests for future Section 7001 report submissions (§204). USACE has since hosted webinars on the proposal process, and plans to hold additional webinars on June 26, 2025, and August 7, 2025. The agency also encourages nonfederal interests to contact their USACE districts for help in preparing submissions.

Congressional Consideration of Section 7001 Reports

As previously mentioned, inclusion of a nonfederal proposal in a Section 7001 report may facilitate congressional consideration of the proposal's authorization in a WRDA. For example, Congress considered Section 7001 reports when developing WRDAs enacted from 2016 through 2024. In addition to Section 7001 reports, in the 117th and 118th Congresses, the House T&I and Senate EPW committees also have separately solicited priorities for WRDA development from Members of Congress. Congress may consider the contents of Section 7001 reports, including the 2025 Section 7001 report and anticipated 2026 Section 7001 report, as well as other input in developing future WRDAs.