of action, continuing major actions should be shaped to minimize adverse environmental consequences. It is also important in continuing actions that account be taken of environmental consequences not fully evaluated at the outset of the project or program. Ongoing or uncompleted programs and projects which were authorized prior to January 1, 1970, shall be reconsidered to determine whether they constitute major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. If the program or project has significant impact, alternatives should be considered and an environmental statement must be prepared. The program or project need not be stopped or delayed pending preparation of the statement; except that, if such an ongoing program or project entails individual actions which have. significant environmental impact and which are not yet authorized or not yet funded, an environmental statement must be provided before those actions may be carried out.

4. Responsibilities

A. The Assistant Secretary-Program Policy

(1) As he may deem appropriate, shall establish or approve task forces, composed of representatives of other Federal, State and local agencies: Secretarial offices; and/or appropriate bureaus and offices to prepare environmental statements in special cases;

(2) Shall designate lead bureaus within the Department and shall consult with CEQ and other Federal agencies in the designation of lead agencies, where appropriate;

(3) Shall review and endorse, prior to transmitting to CEQ, all draft and final environmental statements as to their form and content, and conformity with this chapter, in order to determine whether they are formulated in accordance with and represent the full and balanced interests of the Department;

(4) Shall review and approve all bureau and office procedures for the preparation and utilization of environmental statements.

B. The Assistant Secretaries

(1) Shall maintain general supervision of the bureaus and offices under their jurisdiction in their compliance with this chapter and Section 102 (2) (C) of the Act;

(2) Shall review and approve all environmental statements prepared by bureaus and offices under their jurisdictions before they are forwarded to the Assistant Secretary-Program Policy.

C. The Solicitor

(1) Shall consult with all bureaus and offices in identifying those actions requiring environmental statement;

(2) Shall assist bureaus and offices with legal questions which arise in the preparation of environmental statements.

D. The Legislative Counsel

(1) Shall ensure that bureaus and offices prepare environmental statements for legislative proposals of the Department which have significant impact upon the environment;

(2) Shall coordinate or delegate the preparation of environmental statements for favorable reports on bills principally concerning the Department which have significant impact upon the environment.

E. The Director of Communications:

(1) Shall maintain a public file or index of draft and final environmental statements which have been transmitted to CEQ and shall arrange for making such statements available for inspection in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. Section 552).

F. Ileads of Bureaus and Offices:

(1) Shall identify those actions requiring environmental statements and shall consult with the Assistant Secretary-Program Policy for guidance and direction:

(2) Shall designate those officials responsible for preparing such statements:

(3) Shall transmit the proposed draft and final environmental statements through their Assistant Secretary to the Assistant SecretaryProgram Policy;

(4) Shall prepare formal procedures implementing this chapter and identifying the role of the environmental statement in the review and decision-making process in the bureau or office.

G. Officials Responsible for Preparing Environmental State

ments

(1) Shall obtain the information needed for the preparation of environmental statements;

(2) Shall consult with appropriate bureaus and offices; other Federal agencies: and other appropriate sources of special environmental expertise not available within the responsible official's bureau or office; (3) Shall prepare proposed draft environmental statements and ensure that they fully consider and reflect the information obtained;

(4) Shall transmit copies of draft environmental statements, as cleared by the Assistant Secretary-Program Policy, to Federal agencies with jurisdiction by law or special environmental expertise, to State and local agencies authorized to develop or enforce environmental standards, and to private organizations with an expressed or known interest in the proposal;

(5) Shall give public notice in the manner herein provided of the availability of draft environmental statements and invite comments: (6) Shall consult with all bureaus and offices and other Federal agencies submitting comments, where appropriate;

(7) Shall prepare proposed final environmental statements and ensure that all relevant comments are considered therein;

(8) Shall transmit copies of final environmental statements, as cleared by the Assistant Secretary-Program Policy, to all bureaus and offices; other Federal, State, and local agencies; and private or ganizations from whom comments were solicited and received.

5. Determination of Major Federal Actions Requiring Environmental Statements

The following criteria are to be used in deciding whether a proposed action requires the preparation of an environmental statement:

1. Types of Federal Actions to be considered include, but are not

limited to:

(1) Recommendations or favorable reports to the Congress relating to legislation, including appropriations.

(2) Projects, programs, and continuing activities, including

research:

(a) Directly undertaken by Federal agencies;

(b) Supported in whole or in part through Federal contracts, grants, subsidies, loans, or other forms of financial assistance; or

(c) Involving a Federal lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use.

(3) Recommendation or adoption of policies, principles, standards, procedures, regulations, and plans which affect the environment. (4) Actions relating to natural or cultural resources:

(a) Acquisition or disposal;

(b) Regulation, permission, prohibition, or other institutional control of their use;

(c) Their operational or physical management;

(d) Construction or operation of various structures to manage them; and

(e) Recommendations of comprehensive, program, or project plans for their management.

B. The statutory clause "major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment" is to be construed with a view to the overall, cumulative impact of the action proposed, and of further actions contemplated. Such actions may be localized in their impact, but if the environment or its uniqueness may be significantly affected, the statement is to be prepared. Any proposed action that has an environmental impact likely to be highly controversial should be considered to require an environmental statement.

(1) In considering what constitutes a major Federal action, bureaus and offices should bear in mind that the effect of many decisions about a project or complex of projects can be individually limited but cumulatively considerable. This can occur when one or more government entities over a period of years put into a project individually minor but collectively major resources, when one decision involving a limited amount of money is a precedent for action in much larger cases or represents a decision in principle about a future major course of action, or when several government entities individually make decisions about partial aspects of a major action. The lead organization (agency with primary authority for committing the Federal Government to a course of action, or bureau or office with primary authority for committing the Department to a course of action) should be designated to prepare an environmental statement if it is reasonable to anticipate a cumulatively significant impact on the environment from such Federal

actions.

(2) In considering what constitutes significant effects on the quality of the human environment, bureaus and offices should refer to the principles set forth in Section 101 (b) of the Act. Significant effects include those that significantly degrade or enhance the quality of the environment, curtail or extend the range of beneficial uses of the environment, or serve short-term, to the disadvantage of long-term, environmental goals. Significant effects can also include actions which may have both beneficial and detrimental effects even if on balance the bureau or office believes that the effect will be beneficial. Significant effects on the quality of the human environment include both those that directly and indirectly affect human beings.

6. Content of Environmental Statements

A. Cover Sheet

Every environmental statement shall have a cover sheet indicating the type of statement, a brief but descriptive title, the responsible organization, the date, and the signature of the responsible official (draft) or head of the bureau or office (final).

B. Summary Sheet

Each environmental statement shall have a one-page summary sheet prepared in accordance with Section 6(e) and Appendix I of the CEQ Guidelines [Appendix A]. Formats are provided in Appendix D.

C. Body of Statement

The body of the statement shall contain the following eight sections: (1) Description of the proposal. This section shall describe the proposed or recommended action, its purpose, where it is to be located. when it is proposed to take place, and its interrelationship with other projects or proposals, and shall contain information and technical data sufficient to permit assessment of environmental impact by commenting agencies. Supporting project or program documents shall be referenced and one-page maps included as necessary.

(2) Description of the environment.-This section shall include a comprehensive description of the existing environment without the proposal and the probable future environment without the proposal. The description shall focus both on the environmental details most likely to be affected by the proposal and on the broader regional aspects of the environment, including ecological interrelationships. This section shall also include a description of the present and projected level of economic development, land use, and related cultural factors, where appropriate.

(3) The environmental impact of the proposed action. This section shall describe the environmental impacts of the proposed action. These impacts are defined as direct or indirect changes in the existing envi ronment, whether beneficial or adverse. Wherever possible these impacts shall be quantified. This discussion will include the impact not only upon the natural environment but upon land use and social wellbeing as well. Separate discussion shall be provided for such potential impacts as man-caused accidents and natural catastrophes and their probabilities and risks. Specific mention should also be made of unknown or partially understood impacts.

(4) Mitigating measures included in the proposed action.-A section on mitigating factors may be prepared where appropriate, and shall include a discussion of measures which are proposed to be taken or which are required to be taken to enhance, protect, or mitigate impacts upon the environment, including any associated research or menitoring.

(a) With respect to water quality aspects of proposed actions which have been previously certified by the appropriate State or interstate organization as being in substantial compliance with applicable water quality standards under the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, discussion shall include reference to that certification and the comments of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(b) With respect to water and air quality aspects of proposed actions which have been found by the Environmental Protection Agency to meet the requirements of Section 4 (a) (1) of Executive Order 11507, Prevention, Control, and Abatement of Air and Water Pollution at Federal Facilities, discussion shall include reference to this finding.

(5) Any adverse effects which cannot be avoided should the proposal be implemented. This section shall describe those adverse effects which cannot be eliminated. This section shall include a discussion of the unavoidable adverse impacts described in (3) and (4) above, the relative values placed upon those impacts, and an analysis of who or what is affected and to what degree affected.

(6) The relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity. This section shall discuss the local short-term use of the environment involved in the proposed action in relation to its cumulative and long-term impacts and give special attention to its relationship to trends of similar actions which would significantly affect ecological interrelationships or pose long-term risks to health or safety. Shortterm and long-term do not refer to any fixed time periods, but should be viewed in terms of the various significant ecological and geophysical consequences of the proposed action.

(7) Any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposed action should it be implemented. This section shall discuss, and quantify where possible, any irrevocable uses of resources, including such things as resource extraction, erosion, destruction of archaeological or historical sites, elimination of endangered species' habitat, and significant changes in land

use.

(8) Alternatives to the proposed action. This section shall describe the environmental impacts, both beneficial and adverse, of the various alternatives considered by and available to the Department, specifically taking into account the alternative of no action. In addition and where appropriate there will be a brief discussion of possible alternatives which are beyond the authority of the Department.

D. Consultation and Coordination with Others This part will have two sections as follows:

(1) Consultation and coordination in the development of the proposal and in the preparation of the draft environmental statement.This section shall describe the public participation efforts of the bureau or office concerned and the consultations with Federal, State, local, and individual interests in the development of the proposal and the preparation of the draft environmental statement.

(2) Coordination in the review of the draft environmental statement. This section shall indicate the procedures used in disseminating the draft environmental statement and will list those organizations and experts from whom comments have been requested. Upon preparation of the final environmental statement this section shall be expanded to indicate those organizations and experts from whom comments were received, their disposition, and any unresolved conflicts: and to summarize any public response.