FACACLASSIC

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DOD - 79 - Board on Coastal Engineering Research - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Board on Coastal Engineering Research	Agency Name	Department of Defense
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	79
Original Establishment Date	11/7/1963	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/Locations/CHL/C...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	7
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Research Hydraulic Engineer, Coastal & Hydraulics Laboratory, Engineer Research & Development Center, USACE
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Dr.
Current Charter Date	5/1/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Julie
Date Of Renewal Charter	5/1/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	Dean
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Rosati
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	251-635-9519
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(601) 634-2818
Specific Establishment Authority*	33 U.S.C. 426-2 P.L. 88-172	Designated Federal Officer Email*	julie.d.rosati@usace.army.mil
Effective Date Of Authority*	11/7/1963
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	Pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 426-2, the BCER shall provide the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense (“the DoD Appointing Authority”), through the Secretary of the Army and the Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“the Chief of Engineers”) with independent advice and recommendations on the work of the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, which includes the Coastal Engineering Research Center, on coastal engineering research priorities and additional functions as assigned by the Chief of Engineers.
How is membership balanced?*	Pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 426-2, the Board shall be composed of seven members. The DoD, pursuant to the authorizing legislation, shall appoint four officers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Board as ex-officio regular government employee (RGE) members, with one position being occupied by the Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“the Deputy Commanding General”) for no fixed term of service. The Chief of Engineers, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), shall determine which three of the eight coastal division commanders shall be nominated to serve as the other ex-officio RGE members of the Board. The Chief of Engineers, in determining which of the coastal division commanders shall serve on the Board, shall consider the individual’s tenure as a division commander and his or her expertise in the matters before the Board. The remaining three BCER members shall be civilian engineers or coastal scientists selected with regard to their area of expertise, such as expertise and advanced education, in the fields of beach erosion, shore protection, nearshore coastal processes and infrastructure, and related fields. Comprehensive expertise of the three civilian members will enable the BCER to advise on coastal processes and nearshore beach, dune, and bluff response for the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, and Great Lakes coastal regions of the Nation.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Board meets at the call of the Board’s DFO, in consultation with the Board’s Chair. The estimated number of Board meetings is two per year. The Board makeup provides effective liaison among Corps District and Division offices, Corps Laboratories involved in coastal engineering research, the academic community, and the private sector.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	Federal statute (33 U.S.C. 462-2 P.L. 88-172) requires the Secretary of Defense to establish the committee.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Meetings are not closed to the public unless the DoD determines that items on the planned agenda meet the closed meeting provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 552b(c). Pursuant to DoD policy closed meetings can only be authorized by the DoD Sponsor, the Secretary of the Army, and only after consultation with the Office of General Counsel for the Department of the Army.
Recommendation Remarks	Due to the Secretary of Defense's pause of all advisory committee operations effective March 7, 2025 and the conclusion of all committee member appointments effective April 25, 2025, the Board did not meet in FY 2025. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In previous Fiscal Years, the Proceedings and minutes were one in the same. The committee does not publish separate reports; the recommendations to the decision maker are contained in the meeting minutes. The number of BCER recommendations reported in FY24 were updated from previous committee summaries to sum both BCER “action items” and “recommendations”. Prior to FY24, only action items were counted in the total. In FY24, data were updated to include both action items and recommendations from the BCER. The revised total BCER action items + recommendations from FY11-FY24 is 175. Data for Recommendations were updated in this report for FY15-FY25 as follows [Total # Recommendations; out of the total, # that were Fully Implemented, Partially Implemented, Not Implemented]: FY15: 4; 0, 4, 0 FY16: 17; 14, 3, 0 FY17: 25; 22, 3, 0 FY18: 25; 18, 6, 1 FY19: 26; 18, 8, 0 FY20: 10; 9, 1, 0 FY21: 0 (zero-based review) FY22: 7; 2, 1, 4 FY23: 17; 7, 4, 6 FY24: 17; 5, 0, 12 FY25: 0; 0, 0, 0 (no meetings held per direction of the Secretary of Defense)

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NA	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	175	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	175 recommendations since FY11: 8 in FY11, 4 in FY12; 9 in FY13; 6 in FY14; 4 in FY15; 17 in FY16; 25 in FY17; 25 in FY18; 26 in FY19; 10 in FY20; 0 in FY21 (Zero-Based Review); 7 in FY22; 17 in FY23; 11 in FY24; and 0 in FY25 (no meetings held per Secretary of Defense). Recommendations for this committee are varied but relate to the conduct of research and development of research projects in consonance with the needs of the coastal engineering field and the objectives of the Chief of Engineers. Data for Recommendations since 2015 are available and reported as follows: Total Recommendations, Fully Implemented, Partially Implemented (including in progress and ongoing recommendations discussed at each meeting), and Not Implemented (typically due to time and budget constraints). Prior to 2015, FACA committee reports on recommendations are utilized for documentation.	Access Agency Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	65.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Recommendations implemented in support of the coastal engineering field and the objectives of the Chief of Engineers, usually in the form of specific research projects. No recommendations provided in FY21 because of DoD Zero-Based Review. No recommendations provided in FY25 because no meetings were held per Secretary of Defense.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	22.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Not all recommendations can be fully implemented due to time and budget constraints. Some recommendations are in process and planned for completion at a later date.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	Through reports on Actions Items at Board meetings documentation provided on the BCER website. https://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/Locations/CHL/CERB/	Narrative Description*	The Board on Coastal Engineering Research functions as an advisory board to the Chief of Engineers and was established by Public Law in 1963. It was originally the Beach Erosion Board established in 1930. The Board provides broad policy guidance and review of plans and fund requirements for the conduct of research and development of research projects in consonance with the needs of the coastal engineering field and the objectives of the Chief of Engineers. The Corps created the modern discipline of coastal engineering and remains the primary user in the United States to accomplish its mission. Research is essential for the Corps to accomplish its mission in an economically sound, environmentally correct and safe manner. The Corps conducts, or sponsors, most major coastal engineering research in the United States, and the BCER ensures both short- and long-term needs are met.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$25,000.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$16,000.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$39,555.34	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$180,000.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$15,000.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$20,000.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$50,000.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$906.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$44,000.00
11. Total Costs	$40,461.34	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$350,000.00
Date Cost Last Modified	9/17/2025 10:57 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	2.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.44	Est Cost Remarks	Fiscal Year 2026 costs reflect average annual operating costs. These costs are estimated to cover expenses if the Board on Coastal Engineering Research's (BCER)’s suspense on operations is lifted, and the BCER is not terminated. If the BCER remains suspended with no operations, there will be no costs incurred. If the BCER is terminated, there will be close-out and administrative costs estimated at $10,000 (approximately 0.1 Full Time Equivalent federal staff support).
Cost Remarks	Fiscal Year 2025 federal staff expenditures were incurred in preparations for the 2025 Board on Coastal Engineering Research (BCER) Spring meeting (which was not held per guidance from the Secretary of Defense), documentation of BCER value and impact to the Department of Defense (DoD) (per requests from the DoD), notification and processing of member terminations, and administration of BCER communications.

Interest Areas

Category Area Applied Science Applied Sciences Engineering Emergency Emergency Preparedness and Management Energy Natural Resources Environment Environmental Issues Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences Government Federal Government Research Research and Development Science and Technology Science and Technology Transportation Boating and Navigation Water Harbors Waterways

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