[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 28]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR1506.2]

[Page 483]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
               CHAPTER V--COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
 
PART 1506--OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF NEPA--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1506.2  Elimination of duplication with State and local procedures.

    (a) Agencies authorized by law to cooperate with State agencies of 
statewide jurisdiction pursuant to section 102(2)(D) of the Act may do 
so.
    (b) Agencies shall cooperate with State and local agencies to the 
fullest extent possible to reduce duplication between NEPA and State and 
local requirements, unless the agencies are specifically barred from 
doing so by some other law. Except for cases covered by paragraph (a) of 
this section, such cooperation shall to the fullest extent possible 
include:
    (1) Joint planning processes.
    (2) Joint environmental research and studies.
    (3) Joint public hearings (except where otherwise provided by 
statute).
    (4) Joint environmental assessments.
    (c) Agencies shall cooperate with State and local agencies to the 
fullest extent possible to reduce duplication between NEPA and 
comparable State and local requirements, unless the agencies are 
specifically barred from doing so by some other law. Except for cases 
covered by paragraph (a) of this section, such cooperation shall to the 
fullest extent possible include joint environmental impact statements. 
In such cases one or more Federal agencies and one or more State or 
local agencies shall be joint lead agencies. Where State laws or local 
ordinances have environmental impact statement requirements in addition 
to but not in conflict with those in NEPA, Federal agencies shall 
cooperate in fulfilling these requirements as well as those of Federal 
laws so that one document will comply with all applicable laws.
    (d) To better integrate environmental impact statements into State 
or local planning processes, statements shall discuss any inconsistency 
of a proposed action with any approved State or local plan and laws 
(whether or not federally sanctioned). Where an inconsistency exists, 
the statement should describe the extent to which the agency would 
reconcile its proposed action with the plan or law.