Environmental
Responsibilities of USDA Rural Development |
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USDA Rural Development has
established written policies and procedures designed to ensure that its rural housing,
business/cooperative, community development and utility programs comply with the
environmental requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, as well as other
environmental statutes, Executive Orders and USDA regulations. Rural Development
program goals are developed and advanced in a manner that will protect, enhance, and
restore the environment. Environmental quality is given equal consideration with
economic, social, and other relevant factors in program development and decision making
processes. |
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Before Rural Development can
agree to provide financial assistance for a special project, it must consider the
environmental impacts of the proposed action and ensure that steps are taken to avoid or
mitigate any adverse environmental impacts. This analysis of environmental impacts
is accomplished through consultation with applicants and borrowers; other Federal, State
and local agencies. Indian tribes; and interested public parties. |
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An environmental review document
is prepared. The extent of analysis and level of detail reflected in the
environmental review will depend on the size and complexity of the proposal and the scope
and intensity of the expected environmental impacts. The environmental review is
used as a management tool in the planning process to help Rural Development and the
applicant or borrower to make better decisions based on an understanding of the
environmental consequences of the proposal, and to take actions which avoid or minimize
environmental impacts. |
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Applicant and Lender Responsibilities |
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Rural Development expects
applicants (and in the case of guaranteed loans, lenders and the lender's clients) to
consider the potential environmental impacts of their proposal at the earliest planning
stages and to develop proposals that minimize adverse environmental impacts.
Prospective applicants and lenders should contact their closest USDA Rural Development
field office to identify environmental requirements as soon as possible after the decision
to pursue funding has been made. Applicants and lenders will be required to assist
Rural Development to evaluate the proposal's potential environmental impacts and may be
requested to publish public notices to inform and involve the public in the environmental
impact analysis, to assist in the investigation of project alternatives, and implement
measures to mitigate or minimize potential adverse impacts. |
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Protected Environmental Resources |
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Some of the environmental
resources that deserve special consideration in the applicant's planning process and that
will be examined by Rural Development through its environmental review process are: |
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- Coastal barrier resources
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- Coastal zone management areas
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- Endangered/threatened species or
critical habitat
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- Sole source aquifer recharge areas
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- Historic and archaeological sites
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Public Involvement |
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The National Environmental Policy
Act encourages participation of Federal and State Agencies and any interested or affected
citizens and organizations in the environmental review process. Rural Development
environmental regulations require that interested parties be able to obtain information on
the status of environmental reviews of all projects and that they have the opportunity to
comment on the potential environmental impacts of specific projects. The regulations
also ensure that interested parties have access to environmental documents supporting
Rural Development decisions. |
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To Obtain Technical Help |
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USDA Rural Development field
office staff will help applicants and borrowers integrate environmental considerations
into the planning and design of their project proposals as early in the planning process
as possible. If appropriate, Rural Development staff will recommend alternative
actions, including mitigation measures, that can be taken to minimize adverse impacts. |
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For
More Information |
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Contact the environmental
coordinator at your USDA Rural
Development State Office, listed in "U.S. Government" section of the blue
pages under "Agriculture, Department of" in most telephone directories. |
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Additionally, each State has a
Natural Resource Management Guide available to the public through any USDA Rural Development office.
To the extent practicable, this guide identifies within the State the natural resources,
land uses, and other environmental issues which are regulated by Federal, State, or local
authorities and which must be considered in all planning and design proposals. The
guide also provides a summary of the various standards or types of protection that have
been established and a list of appropriate contacts for further information. This
guide is a good reference document for applicants, borrowers, and lenders, particularly
those who may be considering proposals which have the potential for effecting important
environmental resources. |
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