[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR650.5]

[Page 510-511]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 650_COMPLIANCE WITH NEPA--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart A_Procedures for NRCS-Assisted Programs
 
Sec. 650.5  Environmental evaluation in planning.

    (a) General. Environmental evaluation (EE) integrates environmental 
concerns throughout the planning, installation, and operation of NRCS-
assisted projects. The EE applies to all assistance provided by NRCS, 
but planning intensity, public involvement, and documentation of actions 
vary according to the scope of the action. NRCS begins consideration of 
environmental concerns when information gathered during the 
environmental evaluation is used:
    (1) To identify environmental concerns that may be affected, gather 
baseline data, and predict effects of alternative courses of actions;
    (2) To provide data to applicants for use in establishing objectives 
commensurate with the scope and complexity of the proposed action;
    (3) To assist in the development of alternative courses of action; 
(40 CFR 1502.14). In NRCS-assisted project actions, nonstructural, water 
conservation, and other alternatives that are in keeping with the Water 
Resources Council's Principles and Standards are considered, if 
appropriate.
    (4) To perform other related investigations and analyses as needed, 
including economic evaluation, engineering investigations, etc.
    (5) To assist in the development of detailed plans for 
implementation and operation and maintenance.
    (b) Procedures. NRCS's Guide for Environmental Assessment issued in 
March 1977 and published in the Federal Register on August 8, 1977, 
provides guidance for conducting an environmental evaluation. (42 FR 
40123-40167).
    (c) Decision points. Figure 1 illustrates the decision points for 
compliance with NEPA in NRCS decisionmaking.

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