[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 11]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1794.13]

[Page 1133-1134]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
    CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1794--ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
 
   Subpart B--Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act
 
Sec. 1794.13  Public involvement.

    (a) In carrying out its responsibilities under NEPA, RUS shall make 
diligent efforts to involve the public in the environmental review 
process through public notices and public hearings and meetings.
    (1) All public notices required by this part shall describe the 
nature, location, and extent of the proposed action and indicate the 
availability and location of additional information. They shall be 
published in newspaper(s) of general circulation within the proposed 
action's area of environmental impact and the county(s) in which the 
proposed action will take place or such other places as RUS determines.
    (2) The number of editions in which the notices should be published 
will be specified in the Bulletins referenced in Sec. 1794.7 or 
established on a project-by-project basis. Alternative forms of notice 
may also be necessary to ensure that residents located in the area 
affected by the proposed action are notified. The applicant should not 
publish notices for compliance with this part until so notified by RUS.

[[Page 1134]]

    (3) A copy of all comments received by the applicant concerning 
environmental aspects of the proposed action shall be provided to RUS in 
a timely manner. RUS and applicants shall assess and consider public 
comments both individually and collectively. Responses to public 
comments will be appended to the applicable environmental document.
    (4) RUS and applicants shall make available to the public those 
project related environmental documents that RUS determines will enhance 
public participation in the environmental process. These materials shall 
be placed in locations convenient for the public as determined by RUS in 
consultation with applicants. Included with the documentation shall be a 
list of other project-related information that shall be available for 
inspection through a designated RUS or applicant contact person.
    (5) Public hearings or meetings shall be held at reasonable times 
and locations concerning environmental aspects of a proposed action in 
all cases where, in the opinion of RUS, the need for hearings or 
meetings is indicated in order to develop adequate information on the 
environmental implications of the proposed action. Public hearings or 
meetings conducted by RUS will be coordinated to the extent practicable 
with other meetings, hearings, and environmental reviews which may be 
held or required by other Federal, state and local agencies. Applicants 
shall, as necessary, participate in all RUS conducted public hearings or 
meeting.
    (6) Scoping procedures, in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7, are 
required for proposed actions normally requiring an EA with scoping 
(Sec. 1794.24) or an EIS (Sec. 1794.25). RUS may require scoping 
procedures to be followed for other proposed actions where appropriate 
to achieve the purposes of NEPA.
    (b) The applicant shall have public notices described in this 
section published in a newspaper(s). Applicants shall obtain proof of 
publication from the newspaper(s) for inclusion into the applicable 
environmental document. Where the proposed action requires an EIS RUS 
shall, in addition to applicant published notices, publish notice in the 
Federal Register.In all cases, RUS may publish notices in the Federal 
Register as appropriate.