[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 15]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR3407.10]

[Page 390]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
  CHAPTER XXXIV--COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION 
                   SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 3407_IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT--Table 
of Contents
 
Sec. 3407.10  Preparation of environmental assessments.

    (a) Format and content. An EA may be prepared in any format provided 
that it covers, in a logical and succinct fashion, the information 
necessary for determining whether a proposed CSREES action may have a 
significant environmental impact and thus warrant preparation of an EIS. 
The information must include brief discussions on the need for the 
project, alternatives to the proposed action, environmental impacts of 
the proposed action and alternatives, and a listing of agencies and 
persons consulted (40 CFR 1508.9). Where possible, EAs should be limited 
to 10-15 pages. NOTE: It is the scope and complexity of the 
environmental issues, rather than the size of the project, that should 
be used to determine the length of the EA
    (b) Supplements to environmental assessments. Where substantial 
changes occur in a project or activity for which an EA has been prepared 
and it is determined by a responsible CSREES official specified in Sec. 
3407.4(b) that the changes are pertinent to environmental concerns, a 
supplement to the EA may be required. Supplements to EAs shall be 
evaluated and processed as stated in paragraph (c) of this section.
    (c) Decision notice. Upon completion of an EA and any supplement 
thereto, the responsible CSREES official will evaluate the information 
it contains, determine whether an EIS is required or whether no 
significant environmental impact is likely to occur, and will document 
the decision and the reasons upon which it is based (40 CFR 1508.13). 
The EA shall be available to the public.