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5050.4 3/21/80 1 Avoid to the extent possible the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the destruction or modification of wetlands and to avoid direct or indirect support of new construction in wetlands wherever there is a practicable alternative, and 2 Avoid undertaking or providing assistance for new con- struction located ill -wetlands unless the head of the agency finds: a that there is no practicable alternative to such construction, and b that the proposed action includes all practicable measures to minimize harm to wetlands which may result from such use. In making this finding the head of the agency may take into account economic, environmental and other pertinent factors. (c) A proposal is considered to affect wetlands if it would involve development in a wetlands area; involve dredging, filling, draining, channelizing, diking, impounding, or otherwise directly impact a wetlands area; involve disturbing the water table of an area in which a wetland lies; or indirectly affect a wetland by impacting regions upstream or downstream or inducing secondary development. If there is uncertainty on whether an area is a wetland, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the local or state natural resource agency shall be contacted for further information. (d) If the proposal does not affect a wetlands area, a sentence to this effect in the environmental assessment is sufficient. No further analysis is necessary. (e) If the proposal would affect a wetlands area and there is a practicable alternative which solves the problem and avoids the wetlands impact, this alternative should become the proposed action. The term "practic- able" means feasible. Whether another alternative is practicable depends on its feasibility in terms of safety, meeting transportation objectives, design, engineering, environment, economics, and any other applicable factors. Some additional cost alone does not necessarily make an alternative impractical since such cost may be recognized as necessary and justified to meet national wetlands policy objectives. If a practicable alternative is put forward as the new proposed action, no further wetlands analysis is necessary. The environmental assessment should document that the initial proposed action was eliminated from further study because of wetland impacts. (f) If the proposal would affect a wetland and there is no practicable alternative, the following instructions apply: 1 The environmental assessment shall include information on the location types, and extent of wetland areas that might be affected by Chap 5 Par 47