[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 30]
[Revised as of July 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR1507.3]

[Page 768-769]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
               CHAPTER V--COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
 
PART 1507_AGENCY COMPLIANCE--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1507.3  Agency procedures.

    (a) Not later than eight months after publication of these 
regulations as finally adopted in the Federal Register, or five months 
after the establishment of an agency, whichever shall come later, each 
agency shall as necessary adopt procedures to supplement these 
regulations. When the agency is a department, major subunits are 
encouraged (with the consent of the department) to adopt their own 
procedures. Such procedures shall not paraphrase these regulations. They 
shall confine themselves to implementing procedures. Each agency shall 
consult with the Council while developing its procedures and before 
publishing them in the Federal Register for comment. Agencies with 
similar programs should consult with each other and the Council to 
coordinate their procedures, especially for programs requesting similar 
information from applicants. The procedures shall be adopted only after 
an opportunity for public review and after review by the Council for 
conformity with the Act and these regulations. The Council shall 
complete its review within 30 days. Once in effect they shall be filed 
with the Council and made readily available to the public. Agencies are 
encouraged to publish explanatory guidance for these regulations and 
their own procedures. Agencies shall continue to review their policies 
and procedures and in consultation with the Council to revise them as 
necessary to ensure full compliance with the purposes and provisions of 
the Act.
    (b) Agency procedures shall comply with these regulations except 
where compliance would be inconsistent with statutory requirements and 
shall include:
    (1) Those procedures required by Sec. Sec. 1501.2(d), 1502.9(c)(3), 
1505.1, 1506.6(e), and 1508.4.
    (2) Specific criteria for and identification of those typical 
classes of action:
    (i) Which normally do require environmental impact statements.
    (ii) Which normally do not require either an environmental impact 
statement or an environmental assessment (categorical exclusions (Sec. 
1508.4)).
    (iii) Which normally require environmental assessments but not 
necessarily environmental impact statements.
    (c) Agency procedures may include specific criteria for providing 
limited exceptions to the provisions of these regulations for classified 
proposals. They are proposed actions which are specifically authorized 
under criteria established by an Executive Order or statute to be kept 
secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and are in 
fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive Order or statute. 
Environmental assessments and environmental impact statements which 
address classified proposals may be safeguarded and restricted from 
public dissemination in accordance with agencies' own regulations 
applicable to classified information. These documents may be organized 
so that classified portions can be included as annexes, in order that 
the unclassified portions can be made available to the public.
    (d) Agency procedures may provide for periods of time other than 
those presented in Sec. 1506.10 when necessary to comply with other 
specific statutory requirements.
    (e) Agency procedures may provide that where there is a lengthy 
period between the agency's decision to prepare an environmental impact 
statement

[[Page 769]]

and the time of actual preparation, the notice of intent required by 
Sec. 1501.7 may be published at a reasonable time in advance of 
preparation of the draft statement.