FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK OGDEN, UTAH FSH 1909.15 - ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES HANDBOOK Region 4 Supplement No. 1909.15-95-1 Effective June 26, 1995 POSTING NOTICE: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and calendar year. Post by document name. Remove entire document and replace with this supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page of this document. The last supplement to this Handbook was Supplement 1909.15-93-1 to 1909.15. Superseded New Document Name (Number of Pages) 1909.15,0 Code - 4 Digest: 04 - Defines NEPA responsibilities of Forests, Regional Environmental Coordinator and the primary Regional Office Staff Unit. 06 - Outlines procedure for submitting NEPA documents for review and approval when the Regional Forester is the Responsible Official. DALE N. BOSWORTH Regional Forester FSH 1909.15 - ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES HANDBOOK R4 SUPPLEMENT 1909.15-95-1 EFFECTIVE 6/26/95 ZERO CODE 04 - RESPONSIBILITY. 1. The Regional Environmental Coordinator has responsibility to: a. Identify responsible Regional Office staff unit and advise of pending NEPA analysis/decisions. b. Log in and track all NEPA documents requiring the Regional Forester's review or signature. c. Distribute documents to the responsible Regional Office staff and other staffs as needed. d. Assemble a Regional Office interdisciplinary review group when necessary. f. Assist the responsible Regional Office staff in the review of comments and in documenting any corrections needed. g. Assist the responsible Regional Office staff in preparing the 30-day public notice and comment cover letter, review comments and advise the responsible Regional Office staff unit. h. Review documents for compliance with the NEPA procedures. 2. The Responsible Regional Office Staff has the responsibility to: a. Maintain necessary contact with the Forest. b. Review document for conformance to technical standards prior to review by other staff units. c. Assemble comments from reviewing staff and the Regional Environmental Coordinator, finalize document, or return document to the Forest outlining needed changes. d. Prepare a cover letter for the Regional Forester's signature for distribution of an Environmental Assessment for the 30-day public notice and comment period; print copies and mail to public and Forest. e. Prepare and publish legal notice in newspaper of record for the 30-day public notice and comment period, with assistance from RO Appeals and Litigation Staff Group. f. Collect and review comments received from the public. Transmit comments to the Forest for content analysis if needed. Incorporate comments, changes, and responses in final documents. Send to Forest for final review and obtain Regional Forester signature. g. Prepare and publish legal notice of decision in newspaper of record, with the assistance of the RO Appeals and Litigation Staff Group. 3. The Forest has the responsibility to: a. Inform the Regional Environmental Coordinator of proposed actions when the Regional Forester is the Responsible Official. b. Provide an adequate amount of time for review before a decision is needed. c. Keep the Regional Environmental Coordinator informed of analysis process and obtaining Regional Forester concurrence in the process as needed. e. Provide a minimum of one complete copy for simple, routine decisions. Complex and/or controversial analysis and decisions will require additional copies. An electronic copy will also be sent. f. Provide a completed NEPA checklist signed by the Forest Planner or Forest NEPA coordinator. g. Provide electronic mailing lists for distribution of copies of the NEPA documents. h. Review comments, conduct content analysis if needed, make needed changes in documents, and address comments and responses in a Decision Notice or Final Environmental Impact Statement. 06 - OVERVIEW OF PROCESS. The following procedure outlines the role of the Regional Office in review and distribution of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and associated environmental documents when the Regional Forester or other designated Regional Office Director(s) is the responsible official(s). Forest Plans and their Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) are not included in this direction. 1. The Regional Environmental Coordinator may meet with the Forest to clearly identify the decision to be made and develop proposed action. 2. Submit all draft and final environmental and decision documents to the Regional Forester with 1950 file designation. Send a paper copy with documents which cannot be transmitted electronically. Also send a copy electronically. Additional copies may be required if interdisciplinary review is needed. The Regional Environmental Coordinator should ensure documents are transmitted to the necessary Regional Office staff(s). A NEPA checklist signed by the Forest NEPA Coordinator signifying Forest review must accompany document(s) when submitted for final Regional Office review. Allow for a minimum of 30 days for Regional Office review, 30 days for public notice and comment review, and appropriate time to conduct analysis of comments and to prepare the appropriate NEPA decision document. 3. The Regional Environmental Coordinator must identify the Regional Office staff responsible for the project proposal. 4. Upon receipt of NEPA document, the responsible Regional Office staff unit must ensure document meets technical standards, Forest Plan consistency, and basic NEPA consistency. Documents not meeting basic standards shall be returned to the Forest or corrected by the staff before further review. 5. After review Regional Environmental Coordinator should send the document to other staffs for review and concurrence as needed. If interdisciplinary review is required, the Forest will be notified of additional review time and whether additional copies of the documents are needed. The Regional Environmental Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the review is completed. Regional Environmental Coordinator must complete a final review prior to the decision document being signed by the Regional Forester. If documents are returned to the Forest, the responsible staff must compile substantive comments and clearly outline necessary changes and action(s) required of the Forest. 6. Responsible Regional Office staff must mail Environmental Assessments and Finding Of No Significant Impacts to interested parties identified by the Forest for 30-day public notice and comment period. Provide current electronic mailing list of organizations and agencies with contact name, if available, to the responsible Regional Office staff. Regional Office staff should gather comments and send to the Forest if necessary, for the addressing in the Decision Notice. 7. The responsible Regional Office staff must develop the legal notice for the 30-day public notice and comment review period and coordinate its publication in the newspaper of record through the Regional Office Appeals and Litigation Group. 8. The Forest Supervisor shall transmit a proposed Decision Notice and Finding Of No Significant Impact including a discussion of the public comments obtained during the 30-day public notice and comment review period and how they were used in the decision to the Regional Forester. Any changes needed in the proposed Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact must be coordinated or made by the responsible Regional Office staff. After the Regional Forester signs the Decision Notice and Finding Of No Significant Impact, a copy should be mailed to individuals or organizations who have expressed an interest in the project. 9. The responsible Regional Office staff must develop the legal notice for the decision and coordinate its publication in the newspaper of record through the Regional Office Appeals and Litigation Group. 07.2 - Schedule Format and Content. In addition to the minimum requirements, a map showing the general location of projects is required.