(a) Certain activities involving the discharge of dredged or fill material require action by the division engineer or Chief of Engineers. Such reports should be prepared in the format described in paragraph (b) of this section. Reports may be necessary in the following situations:

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(1) When there is substantial doubt as to the authority, law, regulations, or policies applicable to the Federal project;

(2) When higher authority requests the case be forwarded for decision;

(3) When the state does not concur in a coastal zone consistency determination or attempts to concur with conditions or controls;

(4) When the state denies or unreasonably delays a water quality certification or issues the certification with conditions or controls not related to maintenance or enforcement of state water quality standards or significantly exceeding the Federal standard;

(5) When the regional administrator has advised the district engineer, pursuant to section 404(c) of the CWA, of his intent to prohibit or restrict the use of a specified discharge site; or notifies the district engineer that the discharge of dredged material in ocean waters or territorial seas will not comply with the criteria and restrictions on the use of the site established under the ODA; and the district engineer determines that the proposed disposal cannot be reasonably modified to alleviate the regional administrator’s objections; and

(6) When the state fails to grant water quality certification or a waiver of certification or concurrence or waiver of coastal zone consistency for emergency actions.

(b) Reports. The report of the district engineer on a project requiring action by higher authority should be in letter form and contain the following information:

(1) Justification showing the economic need for dredging.

(2) The impact on states outside the project area if the project is not dredged.

(3) The estimated cost of agency requirements which exceed those necessary in establishment of the Federal standard.

(4) The relative urgency of dredging based on threat to national security, life or property.

(5) Any other facts which will aid in determining whether to further defer the dredging and seek Congressional appropriations for the added expense or the need to exercise the authority of the Secretary of the Army to maintain navigation as provided by sections 511(a) and 404(t) of the CWA if the disagreement concerns water quality certification or other state permits.

(6) If the disagreement concerns coastal zone consistency, the district engineer will follow the reporting requirement of this section and § 336.1(b)(9) of this chapter.