Document ID: FEMA-2017-0035-0001
Agency: fema
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate; Utilization of Streamlined Procedures
Posted Date: 2017-12-01T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 230 (Friday, December 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56984-56985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25933]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2017-0035 ]

Notice of Utilization of Streamlined Procedures for Environmental 
Assessments Associated With Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency; Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As a result of recent unprecedented hurricanes, disasters have 
been declared for areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and 
Nate. Due to the catastrophic damages caused by these hurricanes, FEMA 
must have a more efficient and streamlined procedure for achieving 
compliance under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) during 
multiple, simultaneous, recovery missions for the provision of disaster 
assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act, including Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and 
Hazard Mitigation Assistance. After assessing the scale of current 
recovery operations, and identifying the critical need for timely 
rebuilding of the affected communities, FEMA, in consultation with the 
Department of Homeland Security, determined that exigent circumstances 
exist. As a result of these exigent circumstances, FEMA may utilize the 
streamlined procedures outlined in this notice for those activities 
that require an Environmental Assessment.

ADDRESSES: For access to the docket to read background documents, go to 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov and search 
for the docket ID. Documents may also be inspected at FEMA, Office of 
Chief Counsel, Room 8NE, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Katherine Zeringue, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a result of unprecedented damages from 
2017 Hurricane Season, federal disasters were declared for multiple 
areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate. Due to the 
catastrophic damages caused by these hurricanes, it is critical that 
FEMA create a more efficient and streamlined procedure for NEPA 
compliance for multiple, simultaneous, recovery missions and the 
provision of disaster assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 4121 et seq., including 
Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation 
Assistance. After assessing the scale of the recovery operations, and 
the need for the timely rebuilding of all of the affected communities, 
FEMA, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 
determined that exigent circumstances exist. As a result of these 
exigent circumstances, FEMA may utilize streamlined procedures for 
those activities that require an Environmental Assessment (EA) under 
NEPA. The streamlined NEPA procedures may include any or all of the 
following:
    (1) The public involvement process for EAs associated with 
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate may be condensed to more 
efficiently complete NEPA review [DHS Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01, 
Rev 1 Section V.C (7)]. Public review and comment periods may vary 
depending upon the urgency of the action. FEMA may provide for a 3-day 
comment period for the following actions:
     Group Housing Sites
     Interim and/or temporary facilities for:
    [cir] Hospitals and health care facilities;
    [cir] schools and day care centers;
    [cir] utilities and wastewater treatment plants;
    [cir] police and fire stations;
    [cir] government and court facilities;
    [cir] detention centers and jailhouses; and
    [cir] transportation facilities.

FEMA may provide for a 14-day comment period for all other actions 
associated with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate. Public 
comments to the EAs can be submitted via phone or email. Specific 
contact information will be provided in each individual EA.
    (2) FEMA may favor electronic media rather than other forms of 
media for notifications to the public because traditional media may no 
longer be available to affected communities, take longer to prepare, or 
add additional cost. Electronic notifications may reach a broader 
audience, since affected communities may be displaced or away from 
their traditional access points for local information (such as the U.S. 
Postal Service or local libraries that may be affected by the 
disaster). FEMA will continue use of the Unified Federal Review for 
notification to Other Federal Agencies that may have an interest in a 
relevant project.
    (3) Unless other action alternatives are readily available, FEMA 
may focus EA level analysis and documentation on the ``No Action'' and 
``Proposed Action'' alternatives (40 CFR 1508.9, Sec. 102; 42 U.S.C. 
4332). FEMA's action is often to approve or deny requests for federal 
disaster assistance, from affected communities. This means that FEMA's 
``Proposal'' or proposed action occurs when FEMA is considering a grant 
application or application for assistance.
    (4) FEMA may discuss resource areas in detail only if it determines 
that there is a potential impact to the resources, rather than 
following the procedure outlined in FEMA Instruction 108-1 Section 
3.4(C)(4) that requires FEMA to address in detail the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 
Executive Order 11988, Executive Order 11990, and Executive Order 12898 
in its EAs regardless of the potential for impact to these resources. 
These streamlined procedures will supersede the requirement in FEMA's 
Instruction and allow FEMA to identify, and eliminate from detailed 
study, the issues that are not significant (40 CFR 1501.7).
    The above changes, along with other internal efficiencies that FEMA 
may employ to comply with NEPA, such as document templates and analysis 
and reference tools, will allow FEMA to balance concise environmental 
reviews with open communication and the opportunity for meaningful 
public input in the decision making process. It also allows the public 
the opportunity to participate in FEMA's NEPA process and receive 
timely assistance and grants. FEMA acknowledges that the

[[Page 56985]]

2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season is still underway, and it may be 
necessary to re-issue this notification in the future.
    The changes FEMA may employ for the recovery efforts for Hurricanes 
Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate do not affect the requirements of any 
other environmental or historic preservation laws, regulations, or 
executive orders. This notice addresses FEMA's requirements under DHS 
Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01 Rev 1 Sections V. C (7) and VII M (1-
3) and provides the public with sufficient notice of FEMA's intent to 
expedite federal assistance by reducing typical, but not required, 
public input timeframes. The Streamlined Procedures for Environmental 
Assessments under NEPA is available for reviewing at 
www.regulations.gov under FEMA-2017-0035. FEMA and DHS will post this 
notice and will provide any updates to the public on its Web sites at: 
https://www.fema.gov/fema-national-environmental-policy-act-streamlined-procedures and https://www.dhs.gov/national-environmental-policy-act.
    Authority: The authority for the streamlined procedures for 
Environmental Assessments under the NEPA is derived from DHS 
Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01 Rev 1 Section V. C (7).

    Dated: November 22, 2017.
Brock Long,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2017-25933 Filed 11-30-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-46-P