[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3102-3106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1272]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
14 CFR Part 1216
[Notice 12-004]
RIN 2700-AD71
Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is
amending its regulations governing compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Council on
Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (40 CFR
parts 1500-1508). This rule replaces procedures contained in NASA's
current regulations. The revised regulations are intended to improve
NASA's efficiency in implementing NEPA requirements by reducing costs
and preparation time while maintaining quality. In addition, NASA's
experience in applying the NASA NEPA regulations since they were issued
in 1988 suggested the need for NASA to make changes in its NEPA
regulations.
DATES: Effective January 23, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about NASA's
NEPA process, readers are directed to the NASA NEPA Portal and NEPA
Library at http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/. Questions may be directed
to Tina Borghild Norwood, NASA NEPA Manager, at (202) 358-7324, or via
email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These final regulations are a supplement to
the CEQ regulations implementing NEPA. These final regulations were
drafted with the objective of minimizing repetition of requirements
already contained in the CEQ regulations and with the understanding
that these NASA-specific regulations would be applied with (and be
bounded by) the CEQ regulations.
During the public comment period, the following documents were
posted on the NASA's NEPA Portal and NEPA Library at http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/ (under News); the Federal Register Notice of
NASA's Proposed Rule with Preamble, Preparers, and More Information on
NASA's Categorical Exclusions. The Federal Register Notice (Volume 76,
pages 43616-43629) includes a detailed preamble explaining the changes
being made to NASA's NEPA regulations. The list of preparers and sample
Categorical Exclusions were posted at the request of CEQ. This Federal
Register Notice will also be posted on this Web site upon publication.
The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on July 21,
2011, for a 60-day comment period. No public comments were received.
Accordingly, NASA is issuing this rule with minor edits and the changes
discussed below.
NASA reviewed the Categorical Exclusions (CatExs) in 1216.304(d)
(1)-(5) and identified those CatExs that would require documentation
(see 1216.304(d)(4) and (5)). This documentation will support the use
of the CatEx for a site- or project-specific proposal, and the periodic
review of CatExs stated in 1216.304(g). The reference to NASA's NEPA
portal has been added to this subpart indicating where the public can
access this subpart, NASA's NEPA policy, NEPA Library, public notices,
and the list of NASA's NEPA personnel. NASA also added text to section
1216.302(a)(1) to identify where interested persons can get information
or status reports on environmental impact statements and other elements
of the NEPA process.
For further clarification NASA is also changing ``installation'' to
``Center'' in section 1216.305(b)(2), which describes the activities
typically analyzed in an Environmental Assessment, but does not change
the scope of the activities covered by that section. NASA ``Centers''
are the geographic boundaries of land that NASA manages and operates as
a land-owner or tenant. NASA has ten Centers, several of which also
manage remote locations. This subpart applies to all Centers in their
entirety, including the management of remote locations. The Centers are
comprised of ``facilities'', which are the buildings that contain
offices and technical structures; such as wind tunnels, space chambers,
launch structures, and laboratories. ``Laboratories'', as used in two
CatExs, are a specialized type of facility.
In accordance with the CEQ NEPA regulations, 40 CFR 1507.3, NASA
has consulted with CEQ regarding these final amendments to the NASA
NEPA rule. CEQ has found the amendments are in conformity with NEPA and
CEQ regulations.
The revisions to this subpart were included in NASA's retrospective
analysis, conducted in accordance with Executive Order 13563, Improving
Regulation and Regulatory Review. NASA's Final Plan for Retrospective
Analysis of Existing Regulations was published in August 2011 and has
been posted on the NASA NEPA portal at http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/regulatoryreview/.
Regulatory Analysis and Notices
A. Executive Order 12866--Regulatory Planning and Review
Executive Orders 13563 and 12866 direct agencies to assess all
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive
Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and
benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting
flexibility. This final rule has been designated a ``significant
regulatory action'' although not economically significant, under
section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866. Accordingly, the rule has been
reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires an
agency to prepare an initial regulatory flexibility analysis to be
published at the time the proposed rule is published. This requirement
does not apply if the agency ``certifies that the rule will not, if
promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number
of small entities'' (5 U.S.C. 603). This rule modifies existing
policies and procedural requirements for NASA compliance with NEPA. The
rule makes no substantive changes to requirements imposed on applicants
for licenses, permits, financial assistance, and similar actions as
related to NEPA compliance. Therefore, NASA certifies this final rule
would not have a
[[Page 3103]]
``significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities.''
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
This final rule does not contain any information collection
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.).
D. Environmental Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act
The Council on Environmental Quality regulations do not direct
agencies to prepare a NEPA analysis or document before establishing
Agency procedures (such as this regulation) that supplement the CEQ
regulations for implementing NEPA. Agencies are required to adopt NEPA
procedures that establish specific criteria for, and identify, three
classes of actions: those that normally require preparation of an
environmental impact statement; those that normally require preparation
of an environmental assessment; and those that are categorically
excluded from further NEPA review (40 CFR 1507.3 (b)). Categorical
exclusions are an integral part of agency NEPA implementing procedures,
and therefore establishing categorical exclusions does not require
preparation of a NEPA analysis or document. Agency NEPA procedures are
procedural guidance to assist agencies in the fulfillment of agency
responsibilities under NEPA, but are not the agency's final
determination of what level of NEPA analysis is required for a
particular proposed action. The requirements for establishing agency
NEPA procedures are set forth at 40 CFR 1505.1 and 1507.3. The
determination that establishing NEPA implementing regulations does not
require NEPA analysis and documentation has been upheld in Heartwood,
Inc. v. U.S. Forest Service, 73 F. Supp. 2d 962, 972-73 (S.D. Ill
1999), aff'd, 230 F.3d 947, 954-55 (7th Cir. 2000).
E. Review Under Executive Order of 13132
Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism,'' 64 FR 43255 (August 10,
1999) requires regulations be reviewed for Federalism effects on the
institutional interest of states and local governments, and, if the
effects are sufficiently substantial, preparation of the Federal
assessment is required to assist senior policy makers. These amendments
will affect NEPA compliance procedures, which are not subject to state
regulation. The amendments will not have any substantial direct effects
on state and local governments within the meaning of the Executive
Order. Therefore, no Federalism assessment is required.
F. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Under Section 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2
U.S.C. 1533), Federal agencies are required to prepared a budgetary
impact statement to accompany any proposed or final rule that included
a Federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by state, local
and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of
$100 million or more in any one year. Because the NASA NEPA regulations
affect only NASA and do not creation obligations on the part of any
other person or government agency, neither state, local or tribal
governments nor the private sector will be affected by the amendments
to these regulations. There NASA has determined that further review
under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act is not required.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 1216
Environmental impact statements.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, NASA amends Chapter V of
Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations by revising subpart 1216.3
of part 1216 as set forth below.
PART 1216--ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Subpart 1216.3 Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA)
Sec.
1216.300 Scope.
1216.301 Applicability.
1216.302 Responsibilities.
1216.303 NEPA process in NASA planning and decision making.
1216.304 Categorical exclusions.
1216.305 Actions requiring environmental assessments.
1216.306 Actions normally requiring an EIS.
1216.307 Programmatic EAs, EISs, and tiering.
1216.308 Supplemental EAs and EISs.
1216.309 Mitigation and monitoring.
1216.310 Classified actions.
1216.311 Emergency responses.
Appendix A to Subpart 1206.3--Acronyms and Definitions
Authority: The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as
amended (51 U.S.C. 20101 et seq.); The National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the
Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (40
CFR parts 1500-1508).
Subpart 1216.3 Procedures for Implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Sec. 1216.300 Scope.
(a) This subpart implements NEPA, setting forth NASA's policies and
procedures for the early integration of environmental considerations
into planning and decision making.
(b) Through this subpart, NASA adopts the CEQ regulations
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and supplements those
regulations with this subpart 1216.3, for actions proposed by NASA that
are subject to NEPA requirements. This subpart is to be used in
conjunction with the CEQ regulations. Consistent with the CEQ
regulations at 40 CFR part 1500.3, no trivial violation of this part
shall give rise to any independent cause of action. This subpart and
NASA's NEPA policy are available on NASA's Public Portal at http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/(under NEPA Process).
Sec. 1216.301 Applicability.
This subpart applies to all organizational elements of NASA.
Sec. 1216.302 Responsibilities.
(a) The NASA Senior Environmental Official (SEO) (as defined in
Appendix A to this subpart) is responsible for overseeing and guiding
NASA's integration of NEPA into the Agency's planning and decision
making. The SEO, with the assistance of the Office of the General
Counsel (OGC), is responsible for developing NASA NEPA regulations and
maintaining up-to-date Agency-wide NEPA guidance that fully integrates
NEPA analysis into Agency planning and decision-making processes. The
SEO shall monitor this process to ensure that these regulations and the
associated Agency guidance are achieving their purposes. In addition,
the NASA SEO is responsible for coordinating with other Federal
agencies and the CEQ and consolidating and transmitting NASA's comments
on EISs and other NEPA documentation prepared by other Federal
agencies:
(1) The NASA Headquarters/Environmental Management Division (HQ/
EMD) is delegated the SEO's overall responsibility of implementing NEPA
functions and guiding NASA's integration of NEPA into the Agency's
planning and decision making for all NASA activities. The HQ/EMD
provides advice and consultation to all NASA entities in implementing
their assigned responsibilities under NEPA. Interested persons can
obtain information on the status of EISs and other elements of the NEPA
process by contacting the NASA
[[Page 3104]]
NEPA Manager at HQ/EMD identified at http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/NEPATeam.html.
(2) Each NASA Center has an environmental management office that
guides and supports the working-level functions of the NEPA process,
such as evaluating proposed actions; developing, reviewing, and
approving required documentation; and advising project managers.
(b) The Responsible Official shall ensure that planning and
decision making for each proposed Agency action complies with these
regulations and with Agency NEPA policy and guidance provided by the
SEO, HQ/EMD, and the Center's environmental management office. For
facility programs and projects, the Responsible Official is the
individual responsible for establishing, developing, and maintaining
the institutional capabilities required for the execution of programs
and projects (e.g., Center Director, facility manager). For other
programs and projects, (e.g., space flight programs/projects, R&D
programs/projects) the Responsible Official is the NASA official
responsible for the formulation and implementation of the program or
project (e.g., The Associate Administrator for Science Mission
Directorate, Center Director).
(c) NASA must comply with this subpart when considering issuance of
a permit, lease, easement, or grant to a non-Federal party and may seek
such non-Federal party's assistance in obtaining necessary information
and completing the NEPA process. The Responsible Official(s) for such
action(s), in consultation with HQ/EMD and/or the Center's
environmental management office, will determine the type of
environmental information needed from the non-Federal party and the
extent of the non-Federal party's participation in the necessary NEPA
process.
Sec. 1216.303 NEPA process in NASA planning and decision making.
(a) NEPA requires the systematic examination of the environmental
consequences of implementing a proposed Agency action. Full integration
of the NEPA process with NASA project and program planning improves
Agency decisions and ensures that:
(1) Planning and decision making support NASA's strategic plan
commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship and comply
with applicable environmental statutes, regulations, and policies.
(2) The public is appropriately engaged in the decision-making
process.
(3) Procedural risks and delays are minimized.
(b) Determining the appropriate level of NEPA review and
documentation for a proposed NASA action will depend upon the scope of
the action and the context and intensity of the reasonably foreseeable
environmental impacts.
(c) The environmental impacts of a proposed Agency action must be
considered, along with technical, economic, and other factors that are
reasonably foreseeable, beginning in the early planning stage of a
proposed action. NASA will take no action which would have an adverse
environmental impact or limit the choice of reasonable alternatives
prior to completion of its NEPA review.
Sec. 1216.304 Categorical exclusions.
(a) Categorical Exclusions (CatExs) are categories of Agency
actions with no individually or cumulatively significant impact on the
human environment and for which neither an EA nor an EIS is required.
The use of a CatEx is intended to reduce paperwork, improve Government
efficiency, and eliminate delays in the initiation and completion of
proposed actions having no significant impact.
(b) A proposed action may be categorically excluded if the action
fits within a category of actions eligible for exclusion (such
categories are listed in paragraph (d) of this section)), and the
proposed action does not involve any extraordinary circumstances as
described in paragraph (c) of this section:
(c) Extraordinary circumstances that will preclude the use of
CatExs occur when the proposed action:
(1) Has a reasonable likelihood of having (individually or
cumulatively) significant impacts on public health, safety, or the
environment.
(2) Imposes uncertain or unique environmental risks.
(3) Is of significantly greater scope or size than is normal for
this category of action.
(4) Has a reasonable likelihood of violating Federal, federally
recognized Indian tribe, State, and/or local law or requirements
imposed for the protection of the environment.
(5) Involves impacts on the quality of the environment that are
likely to be environmentally controversial.
(6) May adversely affect environmentally sensitive resources, such
as, but not limited to, federally listed threatened or endangered
species, their designated critical habitat, wilderness areas,
floodplains, wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, coastal zones, wild and
scenic rivers, and significant fish or wildlife habitat, unless the
impact has been resolved through another environmental review process;
e.g., the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Coastal Zone Management Act
(CZMA).
(7) May adversely affect known national natural landmarks, or
cultural or historic resources, including, but not limited to, property
listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places,
unless the impact has been resolved through another environmental
review process; e.g., the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
(d) Specific NASA actions meeting the criteria for being
categorically excluded from the requirements for EAs and EISs are as
follows:
(1) Administrative Activities including:
(i) Personnel actions, organizational changes, and procurement of
routine goods and services.
(ii) Issuance of procedural rules, manuals, directives, and
requirements.
(iii) Program budget proposals, disbursements, and transfer or
reprogramming of funds.
(iv) Preparation of documents, including design and feasibility
studies, analytical supply and demand studies, reports and
recommendations, master and strategic plans, and other advisory
documents.
(v) Information-gathering exercises, such as inventories, audits,
studies, and field studies, including water sampling, cultural
resources surveys, biological surveys, geologic surveys, modeling or
simulations, and routine data collection and analysis activities.
(vi) Preparation and dissemination of information, including
document mailings, publications, classroom materials, conferences,
speaking engagements, Web sites, and other educational/informational
activities.
(vii) Software development, data analysis, and/or testing,
including computer modeling.
(viii) Interpretations, amendments, and modifications to contracts,
grants, or other awards.
(2) Operations and Management Activities including:
(i) Routine maintenance, minor construction or rehabilitation,
minor demolition, minor modification, minor repair, and continuing or
altered operations at, or of, existing NASA or NASA-funded or -approved
facilities and equipment, such as buildings, roads, grounds, utilities,
communication systems, and ground support systems, such as space
tracking and data systems.
(ii) Installation or removal of equipment, including component
parts, at existing Government or private facilities.
[[Page 3105]]
(iii) Contribution of equipment, software, technical advice,
exchange of data, and consultation to other agencies and public and
private entities, where such assistance does not control a receiving
entity's program, project, or activity.
(iv) NASA ceremonies, commemorative events, and memorial services.
(v) Routine packaging, labeling, storage, and transportation of
hazardous materials and wastes, in accordance with applicable Federal,
federally recognized Indian tribe, State, and/or local law or
requirements.
(3) Research and Development (R&D) Activities including:
(i) Research, development, and testing in compliance with all
applicable Federal, federally recognized Indian tribe, State, and/or
local law or requirements and Executive orders.
(ii) Use of small quantities of radioactive materials in a
laboratory or in the field. Uses include material for instrument
detectors, calibration, and other purposes. Materials must be licensed,
as required, and properly contained and shielded.
(iii) Use of lasers for research and development, scientific
instruments and measurements, and distance and ranging, where such use
meets all applicable Federal, federally recognized Indian tribe, State,
and/or local law or requirements, and Executive orders. This applies to
lasers used in spacecraft, aircraft, laboratories, watercraft, or
outdoor activities.
(4) Real and Personal Property Activities including:
(i) Acquisition, transfer, or disposal of any personal property, or
personal property rights or interests.
(ii) Granting or acceptance of easements, leases, licenses, rights-
of-entry, and permits to use NASA-controlled property, or any other
real property, for activities which, if conducted by NASA, would be
categorically excluded in accordance with this section. This assumes
that NASA has included any required notices in transfer documentation
and any terms and conditions necessary to ensure protection of the
environment, as applicable (Record of Environmental Consideration (REC)
required).
(iii) Transfer or disposal of real property or real property rights
or interests if the change in use is one which, if conducted by NASA,
would be categorically excluded in accordance with this section (REC
required).
(iv) Transfer of real property administrative control to another
Federal agency, including the return of public domain lands to the
Department of the Interior (DoI) or other Federal agencies, and
reporting of property as excess and surplus to the General Services
Administration (GSA) for disposal, when the agency receiving
administrative control (or GSA, following receipt of a report of
excess) will complete any necessary NEPA review prior to any change in
land use (REC required).
(v) Acquisition of real property (including facilities) where the
land use will not change substantially (REC required).
(5) Aircraft and Airfield Activities including:
(i) Periodic aircraft flight activities, including training and
research and development, which are routine and comply with applicable
Federal, federally recognized Indian tribe, State, and/or local law or
requirements, and Executive orders.
(ii) Relocation of similar aircraft not resulting in a substantial
increase in total flying hours, number of aircraft operations,
operational parameters (e.g., noise), or permanent personnel or
logistics support requirements at the receiving installation (REC
required).
(e) The Responsible Official shall review the proposed action in
its early planning stage and will consider the scope of the action and
the context and intensity of any environmental impacts to determine
whether there are extraordinary circumstances that could result in
environmental impacts. If extraordinary circumstances exist, the
Responsible Official will either withdraw the proposed action or
initiate an EA or EIS.
(f) The NASA SEO will review the categorical exclusions at least
every seven years, in accordance with CEQ guidance, to determine
whether modifications, additions, or deletions are appropriate, based
upon NASA's experience. Recommendations for modifications, additions,
or deletions shall be submitted to the SEO for consideration and
informal discussion with the CEQ.
Sec. 1216.305 Actions requiring environmental assessments.
(a) The Responsible Official will prepare an EA when a proposed
action cannot be categorically excluded, and the proposed action is not
expected to result in impacts that require analysis in an EIS. The
Responsible Official will consider the scope of the action and the
context and intensity of any environmental impacts when determining
whether to prepare an EA.
(b) Typical NASA actions normally requiring an EA include:
(1) Specific spacecraft development and space flight projects/
programs (as defined in Appendix A to this subpart).
(2) Actions altering the ongoing operations at a NASA Center which
could lead directly, indirectly, or cumulatively to substantial natural
or physical environmental impacts.
(3) Construction or modifications of facilities which are not
minor.
(4) Proposed actions that are expected to result in significant
changes to established land use.
(5) A space flight project/program that would return
extraterrestrial samples to Earth from solar system bodies (such as
asteroids, comets, planets, dwarf planets, and planetary moons), which
would likely receive an Unrestricted Earth Return categorization (as
defined in Appendix A to this subpart) from NASA's Planetary Protection
Office (PPO) or the NASA Planetary Protection Subcommittee prior to the
return of samples to the Earth.
Sec. 1216.306 Actions normally requiring an EIS.
(a) NASA will prepare an EIS for actions with the potential to
significantly impact the quality of the human environment, including
actions for which an EA analysis demonstrates that significant impacts
will potentially occur which will not be reduced or eliminated by
changes to the proposed action or mitigation of its potentially
significant impacts.
(b) Typical NASA actions normally requiring an EIS include:
(1) Development and operation of new launch vehicles or space
transportation systems.
(2) [Reserved]
(c) Development and operation of a space flight project/program
which would launch and operate a nuclear reactor or radioisotope power
systems and devices using a total quantity of radioactive material
greater than the quantity for which the NASA Nuclear Flight Safety
Assurance Manager may grant nuclear safety launch approval (i.e., a
total quantity of radioactive material for which the A2 Mission
Multiple (see definitions in Appendix A to this subpart) is greater
than 10)).
(d) Development and operation of a space flight project/program
which would return samples to Earth from solar system bodies (such as
asteroids, comets, planets, dwarf planets, and planetary moons), which
would likely receive a Restricted Earth Return categorization (as
defined in Appendix A to this subpart) from the NASA Planetary
Protection Office or the NASA Planetary Protection Subcommittee.
[[Page 3106]]
(e) Substantial modification of a NASA facility's master plan in a
manner expected to result in significant effect(s) on the quality of
the human environment.
(f) Substantial construction projects expected to result in
significant effect(s) on the quality of the human environment, when
such construction and its effects are not within the scope of an
existing master plan and EIS.
Sec. 1216.307 Programmatic EAs, and EISs, and tiering.
NASA encourages the analysis of actions at the programmatic level
for those programs similar in nature or broad in scope. Programmatic
NEPA analyses may take place in the form of an EA or EIS. These
documents allow ``tiering'' of NEPA documentation for subsequent or
specific actions.
Sec. 1216.308 Supplemental EAs and EISs.
As detailed in CEQ regulations, supplemental documentation may be
required for previous EAs or EISs (see 40 CFR 1502.9). If changed
circumstances require preparation of a supplemental EA or EIS, such
document will be prepared following the same general process as the
original EA or EIS. No new scoping is required for a supplemental EIS;
however, NASA may choose to conduct scoping.
Sec. 1216.309 Mitigation and monitoring.
When the analysis proceeds to an EA or EIS and mitigation measures
are selected to avoid or reduce environmental impacts, such mitigation
measures will be identified in the EA/FONSI or the EIS Record of
Decision (ROD). NASA will implement mitigation measures (including
adaptive management strategies, where appropriate) consistent with
applicable FONSIs and/or RODs and will monitor their implementation and
effectiveness. The Responsible Official will ensure that funding
requests for such mitigation measures are included in the program or
project budget.
Sec. 1216.310 Classified actions.
(a) Classification does not relieve NASA of the requirement to
assess, document, and consider the environmental impacts of a proposed
action.
(b) When classified information can reasonably be separated from
other information and a meaningful environmental analysis can be
produced, unclassified documents will be prepared and processed in
accordance with these regulations. Classified portions will be kept
separate and provided to properly cleared reviewers and decision makers
in the form of a properly classified document that meets the
requirements of these regulations to the extent permitted, given such
classification.
Sec. 1216.311 Emergency responses.
(a) When the Responsible Official determines that an emergency
exists that makes it necessary to take urgently needed actions before
preparing a NEPA analysis and any required documentation, in accordance
with the provisions in Sec. Sec. 1216.305 and 1216.307 of this
subpart, then the following provisions apply:
(1) The Responsible Official may take urgently needed actions that
are necessary to control the immediate impacts of the emergency needed
to mitigate harm to life, property, or resources. When taking such
actions, the Responsible Official shall, to the extent practical,
mitigate foreseeable adverse environmental impacts.
(2) [Reserved]
(b) At the earliest practicable time, the Responsible Official
shall also notify the SEO of the emergency situation and the action(s)
taken. The SEO will determine the appropriate NEPA action associated
with the urgent actions taken as a result of the emergency. If the
urgent actions will reasonably result in significant environmental
impacts, the SEO will consult with the CEQ to ensure compliance with 40
CFR 1506.11 as soon as is reasonable.
(c) If the Responsible Official proposes emergency actions which
continue beyond the urgent actions taken as a result of the emergency,
and these actions are not categorically excluded, the Responsible
Official will consult with the SEO to determine the appropriate level
of NEPA compliance. If continuation of the emergency actions will
reasonably result in significant environmental impacts, the SEO will
consult with the CEQ to ensure compliance with 40 CFR 1506.11 as soon
as is reasonable.
Appendix A to Subpart 1206.3--Acronyms and Definitions
CatEx Categorical Exclusion
CEQ Council on Environmental Quality
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CWA Clean Water Act
CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act
DoI (U.S.) Department of the Interior
EA Environmental Assessment
EMD Environmental Management Division
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact
FR Federal Register
GSA General Services Administration
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NHPA National Historic Preservation Act
SEO Senior Environmental Official
OGC Office of the General Counsel
PPO Planetary Protection Office
REC Record of Environmental Consideration
ROD Record of Decision
U.S.C. United States Code
Definitions
1. A2 Mission Multiple--The A2 Mission Multiple is a calculated
value based on the total amount of radioactive material being
launched. This value is used in defining the level of review and
approval required for launch.
2. Earth Return Mission (also known as a Sample Return)--A
subcategory of missions that would collect extraterrestrial
materials from solar system bodies and return them to Earth.
3. NASA Senior Environmental Official--The Senior NASA Headquarters
Official responsible for providing executive and functional
leadership for environmental compliance. As of January 1, 2011, the
SEO is the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure.
4. Record of Environmental Consideration--A brief document that is
used to describe a proposed action, identify the applicable
categorical exclusion, and explain why further environmental
analysis is not required.
5. Restricted Earth Return--A subcategory of Earth Return Missions
which requires additional measures to ensure that any potential
indigenous life form would be contained so that it could not impact
humans or Earth's environment.
6. Space Flight Projects/Programs--Those NASA actions that develop
products intended for use in space and/or that support ground and
space operations for products in space.
7. Unrestricted Earth Return--NASA Procedural Requirements define
this as a subcategory of Earth Return Missions that would collect
extraterrestrial materials from solar system bodies (deemed by
scientific opinion to have no indigenous life forms) and return
those samples to Earth. No planetary protection measures are
required for the inbound (return to Earth) phase of the mission.
Dated: December 23, 2011.
Charles F. Bolden, Jr.,
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-1272 Filed 1-20-12; 8:45 am]
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