**Instructions for NRCS-Pennsylvania Environmental Evaluation
Worksheet**

**[General]{.underline}**:

-   EE Worksheet is required for all NRCS assisted conservation planning
    and implementation.

-   Complete a worksheet for each farm, field, landuse or conservation
    management unit. Resource Considerations (G,H) may be best
    documented by land use. If desired, create additional Sections G,H
    for each land use.

-   Forms may be hand written. If completed as an MS Word file, boxes
    expand to fit the text.

-   All information in the worksheet, including \"not applicable\", must
    be supported; document in the worksheet itself or elsewhere in the
    client case file.

-   Maintain a copy in the client case file.

1.  Complete identifying information (Items A -- F) -- ***required***

2.  Document the Benchmark condition -- *recommended (sensitive
    information may be omitted)*

3.  Document the effects of No Action (if different than the Benchmark)
    and Alternative Actions -- ***required, if applicable** o*r *upon
    request of the client*

4.  Document the effects of the Planned Action for each applicable
    resource consideration (G,H), economic and social consideration
    (I,J), and special environmental concern (K,L) and, if applicable,
    whether or not the action is in compliance with the special
    concern - ***required***

5.  'x' the box if the Benchmark, Alternative and/or Planned Action meet
    the quality criteria for a Resource Management System (RMS) --
    ***required***

6.  If the quality criteria is met, a narrative is only required if more
    information is needed to adequately describe and document effects.

7.  Items M through S -- ***required***

8.  Item P is signed by person responsible for completing the form.

9.  Item R (two boxes, if needed):

-   [Not a federal action]{.underline} - applies if only technical
    assistance is provided and the agency does not control how the
    technical plans, designs, etc will be used.

-   [Categorical Exclusion]{.underline} - none apply at this time
    (currently applies to soil survey, snow survey, plant materials,
    inventory & monitoring, PL 83-566 river basin studies, policy
    development, administrative functions, education/information,
    advisory services, etc).

-   [Analyzed in an existing environmental document]{.underline} - Most
    NRCS and FSA programs have programmatic environmental documents
    (EQIP, CSP, AMA, GRP, FRPP, etc). Local PL 83-566

> plans may also cover the Planned Action.

-   [May require an EA or EIS]{.underline} - contact the State Office
    for advice before checking this finding

10. The Finding is signed by the agency representative for the agency
    that administers the program as follows

(for NRCS it is the District Conservationist or their designee):

**NRCS technical assistance** -- NRCS

**AMA** - NRCS **EQIP** - NRCS **GRP** -- NRCS

**CRP** - FSA **FLEP** - USDA-FS **PL 83-566** - NRCS

**CREP** - FSA **FRPP** - NRCS **WHIP** - NRCS

**CSP** - NRCS **DFN** - FSA **WRP** -- NRCS

**[Notes]{.underline}:**

-   To report an RMS, the Quality Criteria must be met for all resource
    concerns for the Conservation Management Unit (CMU).

-   If a resource, economic & social consideration or special
    environmental concern does not apply, use **NA**.

-   If the Alternative or Planned Action is not a change from the
    Benchmark, state **No Change**.

-   If the Alternative or Planned Action results in no effect, state
    **No Effect**.

-   If the Alternative or Planned Action is in compliance, state **In
    Compliance**.

-   Other key phrases to use include, enhanced, reduced, improved, none
    in planning area, impacts mitigated in consultation with ...,
    compatible with management plan, no disproportionate effects.

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Clean    | Should advise landusers that dredge and fill activities |
| Water      | in waters of the United States, including wetland,      |
| Act -      |                                                         |
| Waters of  | require a general permit or 404 permit. May provide     |
| the U.S.** | consultation with PA DEP and U.S. Army Corps of         |
|            |                                                         |
| **Special  | Engineers on behalf of the landuser. Must try to avoid  |
| Aquatic    | dredge and fill activities in fish and wildlife         |
| Sites**    |                                                         |
|            | sanctuaries, wetland, mud flats, vegetated shallows,    |
|            | and riffle-pool complexes. If special aquatic site      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | cannot be avoided, impacts should be minimized and if   |
|            | necessary mitigated. Consult with PA DEP and            |
|            |                                                         |
|            | U.S Army Corps of Engineers if necessary. (40 CFR Part  |
|            | 230, Disposal Sites for Dredge and Fill).               |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Coastal  | Federally assisted actions must be consistent with      |
| Zone       | Pennsylvania Coastal Management Plan. Compliance with   |
| Ma         | NRCS policies, planning procedures and technical        |
| nagement** | standards will generally be consistent with the coastal |
|            | plan. Applies to parts of the following counties:       |
| **Area**   | *Erie, Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia.*               |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Cultural | Avoid adverse impacts to archaeological and historical  |
| R          | resources unless no practicable alternative exists.     |
| esources** | Consultation with the State Historic Preservation       |
|            | Officer required for any planned conservation practice  |
|            | that is \"\...classified as an undertaking with the     |
|            | potential to affect\". (420-GM, 401)                    |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Env      | Must identify and address disproportionately high and   |
| ironmental | adverse human health or environmental effects of        |
| Justice**  | federally assisted activities on minority or low-income |
|            | populations. (220-GM, 402)                              |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| *          | Protects habitats essential to marine fishes for        |
| *Essential | spawning, breeding, feeding or growth. Must consult     |
| Fish       | with National Marine Fisheries Service if adverse       |
| Habitat**  | impacts. Applies to Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay   |
|            | basins. None designated in Pennsylvania at this time.   |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Fish and | Should not modify stream channel by riprapping,         |
| Wildlife   | clearing and snagging, widening, deepening, realignment |
| Coor       | or lining if a practicable alternative exists. Consult  |
| dination** | with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service if necessary.       |
|            | (190-GM, 410.27)                                        |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Flood    | Actions should be encouraged to restore or preserve     |
| Plain      | natural floodplain function and reduce the risk of      |
| Ma         | flood loss. Should avoid adverse impacts. If impacts    |
| nagement** | cannot be avoided they should be minimized, providing   |
|            | opportunities for public review of plans. (190-GM,      |
|            | 410.25)                                                 |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Invasive | Should not generally authorize, fund or carry out       |
| Species**  | actions likely to result in the introduction or spread  |
|            | of invasive species. (EO 13112)                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| *          | Should avoid adverse impacts to migratory birds. Avoid  |
| *Migratory | actions that result in any migratory bird or their      |
| Birds**    | parts (including eggs, nests, feathers) being pursued,  |
|            | hunted, taken, captured, possessed, traded, or killed.  |
|            | (EO 13186; 50 CFR 10.13).                               |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Natural  | Should avoid adverse impacts to formally or informally  |
| Areas**    | designated natural areas, including Wilderness Areas    |
|            | and Natural Landmarks. Consult with concerned           |
|            | parties/agencies if necessary. (190-GM, 410.23)         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Prime    | Should determine how actions affect important (prime,   |
| and Unique | unique, statewide & locally important) farmland.        |
| Farmland** | Adverse impacts should be avoided or minimized.         |
|            | (310-GM, 403)                                           |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Riparian | Plans involving riparian area management must maintain  |
| Area**     | or improve water quality and quantity benefits.         |
|            | (190-GM, 411)                                           |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Scenic   | Should maintain or improve visual characteristics by    |
| Beauty**   | considering visual elements of landform, vegetation,    |
|            | structures and water during planning stage. (190-GM,    |
|            | 410.24)                                                 |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Sole     | Federal financially-assisted projects which have the    |
| Source     | potential to contaminate the designated sole source     |
| Aquifers** | aquifer are subject to US EPA review. Examples of       |
|            | federally funded projects which have been reviewed by   |
|            | EPA under the SSA protection program include            |
|            | construction projects that involve disposal of storm    |
|            | water and agricultural projects that involve management |
|            | of animal waste. Only applies to the Seven Valleys      |
|            | Aquifer in *York County* (50 FR 9126) and the New       |
|            | Jersey Coastal Plain Aquifer which includes the stream  |
|            | flow source zone within two miles of the Delaware River |
|            | in *Delaware, Philadelphia, Bucks, Monroe, Northampton, |
|            | Pike and Wayne Counties* (53 FR 23791).                 |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **         | Assistance will be consistent with the conservation of  |
| Threatened | all federal and state listed endangered fish, wildlife, |
| and        | plants and other protected species, their designated    |
| Endangered | critical habitat. \"Listing\" includes federally        |
| Species**  | proposed and candidate species and state species of     |
|            | concern. Avoid or minimize adverse impacts. Must        |
|            | consult Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, PNDI     |
|            | Project Planning Environmental Review at                |
|            | [http://www.naturalheritage.                            |
|            | state.pa.us](http://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/)/. |
|            | If planned action may have a direct or indirect effect  |
|            | (adverse, beneficial or insignificant), must consult    |
|            | with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine    |
|            | Fisheries Service, PA Fish and Boat Commission, PA Game |
|            | Commission or PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural      |
|            | Resources as appropriate. (190-GM, 410.22)              |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| *          | Avoid undertakings in wetland. If wetland cannot be     |
| *Wetland** | avoided, impacts should be minimized and if necessary   |
|            | mitigated. Consult with PA DEP and U.S Army Corps of    |
|            | Engineers if necessary. (190-GM, 410.26)                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| **Wild and | Federally assisted actions should be compatible with    |
| Scenic     | management plan in designated waters, unless no         |
| Rivers**   | practicable alternative exists. See DCNR website        |
|            | <http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/rivers/scenicrivers/>  |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+