95810 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 3, 2024 / Notices 

HUD upon HUD’s request no later than 

five business days after the date of the 

request, or within another timeframe 

prescribed by HUD. Mortgagees that 

elect to submit electronic PC Documents 

for a subordinate mortgage must 

continue to process all future PC 

Documents electronically, for the 

duration of the Demonstration, unless a 

particular mortgage property is located 

in a jurisdiction where the use of digital 

documents is prohibited. 

C. Goals 

The main goal of the Demonstration is 

to reduce the costs and burdens for 

mortgagees associated with the mailing 

and tracking of original PC Documents. 

The Demonstration is also intended to 

reduce the incidence of original PC 

Documents being lost during delivery, 

as when this occurs mortgagees have to 

obtain and resubmit replacements and 

borrowers have to re-execute lost 

documents. In addition, it is intended to 

reduce the amount of mortgagee 

reimbursement to HUD in connection 

with lost PC Documents. Finally, the 

Demonstration is also intended to 

reduce HUD’s costs related to the 

retention of original PC Documents and 

to enhance HUD’s ability to conduct 

servicing and debt collection activities 

associated with partial claims. 

D. Participating Mortgagees 

Mortgagee participation in the 

Demonstration is voluntary. HUD will 

allow all mortgagees to participate in 

the Demonstration, where state and 

local law permits. The actions the 

participating mortgagees will take 

related to the submission of electronic 

PC Documents and the retention of 

original PC Documents will be 

performed without any expectation of 

compensation. If a mortgagee does not 

adhere to the requirements of the 

Demonstration, they may be removed 

from participation in the Demonstration. 

III. Impacted Regulations 

For the duration of the 

Demonstration, participating mortgagees 

will not adhere to the 24 CFR 203.371(d) 

requirements to submit original PC 

Documents to HUD within certain 

prescribed timeframes. Failure to submit 

original PC Documents within these 

timeframes will not result in mortgagees 

having to reimburse HUD for the full 

amount of the partial claim or any 

partial claim incentive fee, so long as 

electronic copies of the PC Documents 

were submitted within the required 

timeframes and original PC Documents 

are delivered to HUD, upon HUD’s 

request, within the required timeframe. 

IV. Evaluating the Success of the 

Demonstration 

At the conclusion of the 

Demonstration, HUD will assess its 

success, determine whether to 

implement the Demonstration’s PC 

Documents submission and retention 

processes on a permanent basis, and 

identify any additional changes that 

may be needed to implement those 

processes. In conducting this 

evaluation, HUD will assess such factors 

as whether the Demonstration 

processes: (1) reduce the costs and 

burdens for mortgagees associated with 

delivering original PC Documents to 

HUD, (2) reduce the number of lost 

original PC Documents, (3) reduce the 

costs and burdens for HUD associated 

with the retention of original PC 

Documents, (4) enhance HUD’s ability 

to conduct servicing and debt collection 

activities associated with partial claims, 

and (5) allow for the assessment of risk 

to HUD’s partial claim recoveries and 

FHA’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance 

Fund. 

V. Solicitation of Public Comments 

In accordance with 24 CFR part 10 

and section 470 of the Housing and 

Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 (42 

U.S.C. 3542), HUD is seeking comment 

on the Demonstration in this Federal 

Register notice for 60 days of public 

comment. The public comment period 

will give HUD the opportunity to 

consider submitted comments and to be 

in a position to commence 

implementation of the Demonstration 

following the conclusion of the 60-day 

comment period and publication of an 

additional notice announcing the 

Demonstration start date. HUD will fully 

evaluate submitted comments before the 

Demonstration commences and may 

modify the design of the Demonstration. 

If HUD decides to make any changes to 

the Demonstration, HUD will provide 

separate notice to the public prior to 

commencing the Demonstration. 

Julia R. Gordon, 

Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal 

Housing Commissioner. 

[FR Doc. 2024–28298 Filed 12–2–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

[Docket No. FR–6492–N–01] 

Notice of Adoption of U.S. Department 

of Agriculture Farm Service Agency 

Categorical Exclusions Pursuant to 

Section 109 of the National 

Environmental Policy Act 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HUD. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: HUD has identified 

categorical exclusions (CEs) to the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) established by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture—Farm 

Service Agency (USDA–FSA) that cover 

categories of actions that HUD proposes 

to adopt. This notice identifies the 

USDA–FSA CEs and HUD’s categories 

of proposed actions for which it intends 

to use USDA–FSA’s CEs and describes 

the consultation between the agencies. 

DATES: This action is effective upon 

publication. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lauren Hayes Knutson, Environmental 

Planning Division Director, Office of 

Environment and Energy, U.S. 

Department of Housing and Urban 

Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 

7282, Washington, DC 20410–5000; 

telephone 202–402–4270 (this is not a 

toll-free number); email 

EnvironmentalPlanningDivision@

hud.gov. HUD welcomes and is 

prepared to receive calls from 

individuals who are deaf or hard of 

hearing, as well as individuals with 

speech and communication disabilities. 

To learn more about how to make an 

accessible telephone call, please visit 

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ 

telecommunications-relay-service-trs. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

National Environmental Policy Act and 

Categorical Exclusions 

Congress enacted the National 

Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 

4321–4347, (NEPA) in order to 

encourage productive and enjoyable 

harmony between humans and the 

environment, recognizing the profound 

impact of human activity and the 

critical importance of restoring and 

maintaining environmental quality to 

the overall welfare of humankind. 42 

U.S.C. 4321, 4331. NEPA seeks to 

ensure that agencies consider the 

environmental effects of their proposed 

major actions in their decision-making 

processes and inform and involve the 

public in that process. NEPA created the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 3, 2024 / Notices 95811 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ), which promulgated NEPA 

implementing regulations, 40 CFR parts 

1500 through 1508 (CEQ regulations). 

To comply with NEPA, agencies 

determine the appropriate level of 

review for any major Federal action—an 

environmental impact statement (EIS), 

environmental assessment (EA), or 

categorical exclusion (CE). 40 CFR 

1501.3. If a proposed action is likely to 

have significant environmental effects, 

the agency must prepare an EIS and 

document its decision in a record of 

decision. 40 CFR part 1502, 1505.2. If 

the proposed action is not likely to have 

significant environmental effects or the 

effects are unknown, the agency may 

instead prepare an EA, which involves 

a more concise analysis and process 

than does an EIS. 40 CFR 1501.5. 

Following the EA, the agency may 

conclude that the action will have no 

significant effects and document that 

conclusion in a finding of no significant 

impact. 40 CFR 1501.6. If the analysis 

concludes that the action is likely to 

have significant effects, however, then 

an EIS is required. 

Under NEPA and the CEQ regulations, 

a Federal agency also can establish 

CEs—categories of actions that the 

agency has determined normally do not 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment—in their agency 

NEPA procedures. 42 U.S.C. 4336e(1); 

40 CFR 1501.4, 1507.3(e)(2)(ii), 

1508.1(d). If an agency determines that 

a CE covers a proposed action, it then 

evaluates the proposed action for 

extraordinary circumstances in which a 

normally excluded action may have a 

significant effect. 40 CFR 1501.4(b). If 

no extraordinary circumstances are 

present, the agency may apply the CE to 

the proposed action without preparing 

an EA or EIS. 42 U.S.C. 4336(a)(2), 40 

CFR 1501.4. If extraordinary 

circumstances are present, the agency 

nevertheless may still categorically 

exclude the proposed action if it 

determines that there are circumstances 

that lessen the impacts or other 

conditions sufficient to avoid significant 

effects. 

Section 109 of NEPA, enacted as part 

of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, 

allows a Federal agency to ‘‘adopt’’ 

another Federal agency’s CEs for 

proposed actions. 42 U.S.C. 4336c. To 

use another agency’s CEs under section 

109, the borrowing agency must identify 

the relevant CE listed in another 

agency’s (‘‘establishing agency’’) NEPA 

procedures that covers the borrowing 

agency’s category of proposed actions or 

related actions; consult with the 

establishing agency to ensure that the 

proposed adoption of the CE for a 

category of actions is appropriate; 

identify to the public the CE that the 

borrowing agency plans to use for its 

proposed actions; and document 

adoption of the CE. 42 U.S.C. 4336c. 

HUD has prepared this notice to meet 

these statutory requirements. 

HUD Programs 

For many HUD programs, HUD is 

authorized by statute to allow 

Responsible Entities (REs), typically 

states, units of general local 

government, and tribes, to assume 

responsibility to conduct NEPA reviews 

under HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 

58. For other HUD programs, HUD 

performs the environmental review 

under 24 CFR part 50. HUD intends to 

apply these categorical exclusions to 

reviews conducted under both parts 50 

and 58. 

Both parts 50 and 58, as well as 24 

CFR part 51, contain additional 

environmental requirements that certain 

HUD projects must comply with. 

Proposed actions that are categorically 

excluded from NEPA but still subject to 

these requirements are known as 

‘‘Categorically Excluded Subject to’’ the 

requirements listed in 24 CFR 58.5 and 

50.4 (CEST), and proposed actions that 

are categorically excluded from NEPA 

but not subject to these requirements are 

known as ‘‘Categorically Excluded Not 

Subject to’’ the requirements listed in 

§§ 58.5 and 50.4 (CENST). HUD has 

evaluated the identified USDA–FSA CEs 

and has designated each as CENST or 

CEST in Section II. USDA–FSA 

Categorical Exclusions. 

HUD Regulatory Limitations on 

Adopting CEs 

HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR 58.36 

and 50.17 limit HUD’s ability to utilize 

adopted categorical exclusions without 

a waiver. This notice will not go into 

effect until 58.36 and 50.17 are 

amended or until a waiver of these 

regulations is issued. 

II. USDA–FSA Categorical Exclusions 

HUD has identified the following CEs 

listed in USDA–FSA regulation, 7 CFR 

part 799 Subpart D—Categorical 

Exclusions, for adoption. Under each 

CE, HUD has described categories of 

proposed actions for which HUD, under 

part 50, or an RE, under part 58, may 

use the CE and if the activity will be 

evaluated as CENST or CEST. The list 

of categories comprises the proposed 

actions for which HUD contemplates 

using the CEs at this time, primarily in 

support of agricultural activities funded 

with HUD’s Community Development 

Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG– 

DR) program. However, HUD may 

expand the use of the CEs identified 

below to other substantially similar 

agricultural activities, where 

appropriate. 

1. 7 CFR 799.31(b)(2)(i): Existing fence 

repair. 

HUD Level of Review: CENST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Repair, improvement, or minor 

modification of existing fences. 

2. 7 CFR 799.31(b)(2)(ii): Improvement 

or repair of farm-related structures 

under 50 years of age. 

HUD Level of Review: CENST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Repair, improvements, or minor 

modifications of farm-related structures 

under 50 years of age. 

3. 7 CFR 799.32(d)(2)(i): Minor 

construction, such as a small addition. 

HUD Level of Review: CENST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Minor construction, such as a small 

addition, without ground disturbance, 

of agricultural related structures. 

4. 7 CFR 799.32(d)(2)(iv): Grading, 

leveling, shaping, and filling. 

HUD Level of Review: CENST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Grading, leveling, shaping, and 

filling occurring specifically in areas 

with previous ground disturbance, soils 

that are not likely to possess intact and 

distinct soil horizons and have the 

reduced likelihood of possessing 

historic properties with their original 

depositional contexts in the area and to 

the depth to be excavated, also referred 

to as the plow zone. 

5. 7 CFR 799.32(d)(2)(xiii): Trough or 

tank installation. 

HUD Level of Review: CENST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Agricultural water trough or tank 

installation without ground disturbance. 

6. 7 CFR 799.32(d)(3)(i): Fence 

installation and replacement. 

HUD Level of Review: CENST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Fence installation and replacement 

that support agricultural needs, without 

ground disturbance. 

7. 7 CFR 799.32(e)(2)(iii): 

Construction of a new farm storage 

facility. 

HUD Level of Review: CEST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Construction of a new farm storage 

facility with ground disturbance. 

8. 7 CFR 799.32(e)(2)(xi): Grading, 

leveling, shaping, and filling in areas or 

to depths not previously disturbed. 


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95812 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 3, 2024 / Notices 

HUD Level of Review: CEST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Grading, leveling, shaping, and 

filling in areas or to depths not 

previously disturbed for agricultural 

efforts. 

9. 7 CFR 799.32(e)(2)(xiv): Land 

smoothing. 

HUD Level of Review: CEST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Land smoothing for agricultural 

needs. 

10. 7 CFR 799.32(e)(2)(xxxvii): 

Watering tank or trough installation, if 

in areas not previously disturbed. 

HUD Level of Review: CEST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Agricultural watering tank or trough 

installation that includes new ground 

disturbance. 

11. 7 CFR 799.32(e)(2)(xxxviii): Wells. 

HUD Level of Review: CEST. 

Potential application to HUD 

activities: 

• Well installation and repairs for 

agricultural needs, with ground 

disturbance. 

III. Consideration of Extraordinary 

Circumstances 

When applying the adopted CEs, HUD 

or the RE will evaluate the proposed 

action to ensure evaluation of integral 

elements listed above. In addition, in 

considering extraordinary 

circumstances, HUD will consider 

whether the proposed action has the 

potential to result in significant effects 

as described in USDA–FSA’s 

extraordinary circumstances listed at 7 

CFR 799.33. USDA–FSA defines 

extraordinary circumstances in which a 

normally categorically excluded action 

may have a significant environmental 

effect, including, but not limited to, 

scientific controversy about the 

environmental effects of the proposal; 

uncertain effects or effects involving 

unique or unknown risks; a proposed 

action connected to other actions with 

potential impacts; a proposed action 

that is related to other proposed actions 

with cumulative impacts; proposed 

actions that do not comply with 40 CFR 

1506.1 Limitations on actions during the 

NEPA process; and/or contains 

violations of any existing Federal, State, 

or local government law, policy, or 

requirements. 

IV. Consultation With USDA–FSA and 

Determination of Appropriateness 

HUD and USDA–FSA began 

consultation in December 2023 to 

identify USA–FSA CEs that could apply 

to HUD proposed agricultural actions. 

This consultation included a review of 

USDA–FSA’s experience developing 

and applying the CEs and the types of 

actions for which HUD plans to utilize 

the CEs. Based on this consultation and 

review, HUD has determined that the 

types of agricultural projects it intends 

to undertake are substantially similar to 

such projects for which USDA–FSA has 

applied the CE. Accordingly, the 

impacts of HUD projects will be 

substantially similar to the impacts of 

USDA–FSA projects, which are not 

significant, absent the existence of 

extraordinary circumstances. Therefore, 

HUD has determined that its proposed 

use of the agricultural-related CEs, as 

described within this notice, would be 

appropriate. 

V. Conclusion 

This notice documents adoption of 

the USDA–FSA CEs listed above in 

accordance with 42 U.S.C. 4336c(4), and 

they will be available for use by HUD 

and REs effective either upon 

amendment of 24 CFR 58.36 and 50.17 

or upon issuance of a waiver of these 

regulations. 

Marion McFadden, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Community Planning and Development, 

Office of Community Planning and 

Development. 

[FR Doc. 2024–28293 Filed 12–2–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

TIME AND DATE: Monday, December 16, 

2024 9:30am–11:00am 

PLACE: Hybrid with public attendance 

held virtually 

STATUS: Meeting of the Board of 

Directors, open to the public 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

D Call to Order 

D Overview of Meeting Rules by General 

Counsel 

D Approval of Minutes from May 7, 

2024 Meeting 

D Fiscal Year 2024 in Review 

D Fiscal Year 2025 Planning: 

—Strategic Priorities 

—Programs & Fellowships Updates 

—Operational Updates: Move and 

Staff 

D Adjournment 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Nicole Stinson, Associate General 

Counsel, (202) 683–7117 or 

generalcounsel@iaf.gov. 

For Dial-in Information contact: 

Nicole Stinson, Associate General 

Counsel, generalcounsel@iaf.gov. 

The Inter-American Foundation is 

holding this meeting under the 

Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 

U.S.C. 552b and 22 CFR 1004. 

Natalia Mandrus, 

Associate General Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2024–28393 Filed 11–29–24; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 7025–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

[NPS–NER–ACAD–38762; PPNEACADSO, 

PPMPSPDIZ.YM0000] 

Notice of Public Meetings for the 

Acadia National Park Advisory 

Commission 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Meeting notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 

amended, the National Park Service 

(NPS) is hereby giving notice that the 

Acadia National Park Advisory 

Commission (Commission) will meet as 

indicated below. 

DATES: The Commission will meet: 

Monday, February 3, 2025; Monday, 

June 2, 2025; and Monday, September 8, 

2025. All scheduled meetings will begin 

at 1:00 p.m. and will end by 4:00 p.m. 

(Eastern). 

ADDRESSES: The February 3, 2025, and 

June 2, 2025, meetings will be held at 

the training trailer at park headquarters, 

Acadia National Park, 20 McFarland 

Hill Drive, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609. 

The September 8, 2025, meeting will be 

held at the Schoodic Education and 

Research Center, Moore Auditorium, 

Winter Harbor, Maine 04693. All 

meetings are open to the public and a 

virtual participation option will be 

available for those who are unable to 

attend in person and will be closed 

captioned. Virtual registration and final 

agendas will be posted online at least 

seven (7) business days prior to the 

meeting dates at Acadia Advisory 

Commission—Acadia National Park 

(U.S. National Park Service). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathy Flanders, Superintendent’s 

Secretary, Acadia National Park, P.O. 

Box 177, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, 

telephone (207) 288–8702 or kathy_

flanders@nps.gov. Individuals in the 

United States who are deaf, deafblind, 

hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 

TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services. 

Individuals outside the United States 


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