Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 5/27/04
Series: Environmental Quality Programs
Part 516: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
Chapter 6: Managing the NEPA Process
Originating Office: Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
516 DM 6
6.1 Purpose. This Chapter provides supplementary instructions for implementing those provisions of the CEQ Regulations pertaining to procedures for implementing and managing the NEPA process.
6.2 Organization for Environmental Quality.
A. Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC). The Director, OEPC, reporting to the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget (AS/PMB), is responsible for providing advice and assistance to the Department on matters pertaining to environmental quality and for overseeing and coordinating the Department's compliance with NEPA. (See also 112 DM 4.)
B. Bureaus and Offices. Heads of bureaus and offices will designate organizational elements or individuals, as appropriate, at headquarters and regional levels to be responsible for overseeing matters pertaining to the environmental effects of the bureau’s plans and programs. The individuals assigned these responsibilities should have management experience or potential, understand the bureau's planning and decision making processes, and be well trained in environmental matters, including the Department's policies and procedures so that their advice has significance in the bureau’s planning and decisions. These organizational elements will be identified in Chapters 8-15, which contain all bureau NEPA requirements.
6.3 Approval of EISs.
A. A program Assistant Secretary is authorized to approve an EIS in those cases where the responsibility for the decision for which the EIS has been prepared rests with the Assistant Secretary or below. The Assistant Secretary may further assign the authority to approve the EIS if he or she chooses. The AS/PMB will make certain that each program Assistant Secretary has adequate safeguards to ensure that the EISs comply with NEPA, the CEQ Regulations, and the Departmental Manual.
B. The AS/PMB is authorized to approve an EIS in those cases where the decision for which the EIS has been prepared will occur at a level in the Department above an individual program Assistant Secretary.
6.4 List of Specific Compliance
Responsibilities.
A. Bureaus and offices shall:
(1) Prepare NEPA handbooks providing guidance on how to implement NEPA in principal program areas.
(2) Prepare program regulations or directives for applicants.
(3) Propose and apply categorical exclusions.
(4) Prepare and approve EAs.
(5) Decide whether to prepare an EIS.
(6) Prepare and publish NOIs and FONSIs.
(7) Prepare and, when assigned, approve EISs.
B. Assistant Secretaries shall:
(1) Approve bureau and offices handbooks.
(2) Approve regulations or directives for applicants.
(3) Approve proposed categorical exclusions.
(4) Approve EISs pursuant to 516 DM 6.3.
C. The AS/PMB shall:
(1) Concur with regulations or directives for applicants.
(2) Concur with proposed categorical exclusions.
(3) Approve EISs pursuant to 516 DM 6.3.
6.5 Bureau Requirements.
A. Requirements specific to bureaus appear as separate chapters beginning with Chapter 8 of this Part and include the following:
(1) Identification of officials and organizational elements responsible for NEPA compliance.
(2) List of program regulations or directives which provide information to applicants.
(3) Identification of major decision points in principal programs for which an EIS is normally prepared.
(4) List of projects or groups of projects for which an EA is normally prepared.
(5) List of categorical exclusions.
B. Bureau requirements are found in the following chapters for the current bureaus:
(1) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Chapter 8; formerly Appendix 1).
(2) U.S. Geological Survey (Chapter 9; formerly Appendix 2).
(3) Bureau of Indian Affairs (Chapter 10; formerly Appendix 4).
(4) Bureau of Land Management (Chapter 11; formerly Appendix 5).
(5) National Park Service (Chapter 12; formerly Appendix 7).
(6) Office of Surface Mining (Chapter 13; formerly Appendix 8).
(7) Bureau of Reclamation (Chapter 14; formerly Appendix 9).
(8) Minerals Management Service (Chapter 15; formerly Appendix 10).
C. The Office of the Secretary and other Departmental offices do not have separate chapters but must comply with this Part and will consult with the OEPC about compliance activities.
6.6 Information about the NEPA Process. The OEPC will periodically publish a Departmental list of bureau contacts where information about the NEPA process and the status of EISs may be obtained. This list will be available on OEPC’s website at http://www.doi.gov/oepc.