Source: http://azrefs.org/part-1940-general-subpart-g-environmental-program.html?page=11
Timestamp: 2017-12-17 17:55:10
Document Index: 70183466

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1940', 'art 1940', 'art 1940', '§1940', '§1940', 'art 12', '§12', 'art 12', 'art 1900', '§1900']

Part 1940 general subpart g environmental Program - səhifə 11
(Name of Borrower) (Signature of Executive Official)
(2) Mortgages, deeds of trust and security agreements.
State Directors will consult with the Office of General Counsel and ensure that for all loans to which this exhibit (3-4-88) SPECIAL PN
applies a covenant is included in all mortgages, deeds of trust, and security agreements which reads as indicated below. Form RD 440-15, "Security Agreement (Insured Loans to Individuals)," and Form RD 440-4, "Security Agreement (Chattels and Crops)," have been revised accordingly. Equivalent forms required in State supplements must be similarly revised.
"Borrower further agrees that the loan(s) secured by this instrument will be in default should any loan proceeds be used for a purpose that will contribute to excessive erosion of highly erodible land or to the conversion of wetlands to produce an agricultural commodity, as further explained in 7 CFR Part 1940, Subpart G, Exhibit M."
"Default shall also exist if any loan proceeds are used for a purpose that will contribute to excessive erosion of highly erodible land or to the conversion of wetlands to produce an agricultural commodity, as further explained in 7 CFR Part 1940, Subpart G, Exhibit M."
(1) Form RD 449-14, "Conditional Commitment for Guarantee," and Form RD 1980-15, "Conditional Commitment for Contract of Guarantee (Line of Credit)." These forms must contain a condition that includes the following provisions:
(a) Informs the lender that FmHA's commitment is conditioned upon loan proceeds not being used for a purpose that will contribute to excessive erosion of highly erodible land or to the conversion of wetlands to produce an agricultural commodity, as explained in this exhibit;
(c) Requires the lender, for all borrowers having highly erodible land, wetland, or converted on their farm properties, to include provisions in its loaninstruments similar to those contained in subparagraphs a (1) and (2) of this paragraph.
(2) Lender's loan and security instruments. These instruments must be modified as specified in subparagraph b (l)(c) of this paragraph.
8. Required FmHA documentation. The actions taken and determinations made by FmHA to comply with the provisions of this exhibit will be documented as part of the environmental review of the application. All actions subject to this exhibit will undergo at a minimum the completion of Form RD 1940-22, "Environmental Checklist for Categorical Exclusions." On the reverse of this form, the preparer will document as applicable (a) whether or not highly erodible land, wetland, or converted wetland is present, (b) if any exemption(s) applies, (c) the status of the applicant's eligibility for an FmHA loan under this exhibit, and (d) any steps the applicant must take prior to loan approval to retain or regain its eligibility. If the application under review meets the definition of a Class I action as defined in §1940.311 of this subpart, the above documentation will be included as an exhibit to Form RD 1940-21, "Environmental Assessment for Class I Action." If the application meets the definition of a Class II action as defined in §1940.312 of this subpart, the required documentation will be included within the Class II assessment under the discussion of land use impacts. See paragraph IV. 4. of Exhibit H of this subpart. Once an applicant's farm property has undergone an environmental review covering the provisions of this exhibit, the County Supervisor reviewing a subsequent loan request need not require the applicant to obtain further site information from SCS as long as there is no change in the farm property to be affected or any applicable exemptions.
9. Borrowers' responsibilities. In addition to complying with any loan requirements resulting from FmHA's implementation of this exhibit, a borrower must within ten days of receipt inform, in writing, the lender of a guaranteed loan and the County Supervisor for an insured loan of any ineligibility determinations received from other USDA agencies for violations of wetland or highly erodible land conservation restrictions. A borrower also has the responsibility to consult with the lender or County Supervisor, as applicable, if at any time the borrower is uncertain as to the borrower's duties and responsibilities under the loan provisions.
10. FmHA and lender monitoring. As an element of insured loan servicing, to include development of a farm plan of operation for an upcoming crop year, scheduled farm visits, or other contacts with borrowers, FmHA staff will review and analyze the borrower's compliance with the provisions of this exhibit and any related loan requirements. If at anytime FmHA becomes aware of the borrower's violation of these provisions or related loan requirements, the borrower will be informed that the affected loan(s) is in default. In addition to directly monitoring borrowers, the County Supervisor will receive and review the monitoring results of other USDA agencies having restrictions on wetland and highly erodible land conservation. Whenever these results indicate that a borrower may have violated the loan conditions, the County Supervisor will further analyze the matter and respond, as indicated in this paragraph, should a violation be determined. Lenders of FmHA guaranteed loans must also monitor compliance as part of their servicing responsibilities.
11. Exemptions and determining their applicability. Following is a list of exemptions from the provisions of this exhibit as well as a description of how FmHA will apply the exemptions to a proposed loan or activity under a loan. This list is intended to provide guidance on implementing the exemptions contained in Subparts A, B, and C of Part 12 of Subtitle A of Title 7 (Attachment 1 of this exhibit which is available in any FmHA office) and does not modify or limit any of those exemptions.
a. Exemption from wetland and highly erodible land conservation.
Any loan which was closed prior to December 23, 1985, or any loan for which either Form RD 1940-1, "Request for Obligation of Funds," Form RD 449-14, "Conditional Commitment for Guarantee," or Form RD 1980-15, "Conditional Commitment for Contract of Guarantee (Line of Credit)," was executed prior to December 23, 1985, is exempt from the provisions of this exhibit.
b. Exemptions from highly erodible land conservation. The following exemptions exist from the restrictions on highly erodible land conservation. Whenever the County Supervisor is required to consult with another USDA agency in applying these exemptions, the County Supervisor's review of a properly completed Form SCS-CPA-26 will be considered adequate consultation if the needed information is presented on the form and no questions are raised by the FmHA review.
(2) Any land planted with an agricultural commodity during a crop year beginning before December 23, 1985, is exempt for that particular planting. FmHA will consult with the ASCS State Executive Director and the latter's position will be controlling in determining the date that the crop year began.
(6) Highly erodible land not within a conservation district but under a conservation system determined by SCS to be adequate
for the production of a specific agricultural commodity or commodities on any highly erodible land is exempt for the production of that commodity or commodities.
(8) Highly erodible land planted or to be planted in an agricultural commodity that was planted in alfalfa during each of the 1981 to 1985 crop years in a crop rotation determined by SCS to be adequate for the protection of highly erodible land is exempt until June 1, 1988, from the requirement that the highly erodible land be planted in compliance with an approved conservation system.
c. Exemptions from wetland conservation. The following exemptions
exist from the restrictions on wetland conservation. Whenever the County Supervisor is required to consult with another USDA agency in applying these exemptions, the County Supervisor's review of a properly completed Form SCS-CPA-26 will be considered adequate consultation if the needed information is presented on the form and no questions are raised by the FmHA review.
(1) A converted wetland is exempt if the conversion of such wetland was completed or commenced before December 23, 1985. The County Supervisor will consult with ASCS whose determination as to when conversion of a wetland commenced will be final for FmHA purposes. Additionally, the County Supervisor will request evidence of ASCS's consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on each commenced determination reached for an FmHA applicant or borrower. SCS will determine if a wetland is a converted wetland using the criteria contained in §12.32 of Subpart C of Part 12 of Subtitle A of Title 7 (Attachment 1 of this exhibit which is available in any FmHA office). Under these criteria, however, a converted wetland determined to be exempt may not always remain exempt. The criteria include the provision that if crop production is abandoned on a converted wetland and the land again meets the wetland criteria, that land has reverted to a wetland and is no longer exempt. For purposes of FmHA inventory farm properties, crop production will be considered to have been abandoned on a converted wetland either at the earlier of the time the former owner so abandoned crop production or at the time FmHA caused crop production to be abandoned after the property came into FmHA's inventory. While in its inventory FmHA will not lease the converted wetland for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity. Whether or not the wetland criteria are met on the abandoned land will be determined by SCS immediately before FmHA's lease or sale of the property.
(2) The following are not considered to be a wetland under the provisions of this exhibit: (a) an artificial lake, pond, or wetland created by excavating or diking non-wetland to collect and retain water for purposes such as water for livestock, fish production, irrigation (including subsurface irrigation), a settling basin, cooling, rice production, or flood control; (b) a wet area created by a water delivery system, irrigation, irrigation system, or application of water for irrigation and (c) lands in Alaska identified by SCS as having a predominance of permafrost soils. The County Supervisor will consult with SCS regarding the application of this exemption as well as the remaining exemptions in this paragraph and the SCS position will be controlling.
(4) Production of an agricultural commodity on a converted wetland is exempt if SCS determines that the effect of such action, individually and in connection with all other similar actions authorized in the area by USDA agencies, on the hydrological and biological aspect of wetland is minimal.
12. Appeals. Any applicant or borrower that is directly and adversely affected by an administrative decision made by FmHA under this exhibit may appeal that decision under the provisions of Subpart B of Part 1900 of this chapter (see especially §1900.55).
a. Coordination. FmHA State Directors will consult with SCS State Conservationists and ASCS State Executive Directors to assess and coordinate loan processing workloads in order to minimize delays in responding to FmHA requests for site information or for the application of the exemptions contained in paragraph 11 of this exhibit. State Directors will ensure that
FmHA field staff understand and can use the ASCS farm records system and will request ASCS training as needed. Also, management systems for sharing the information discussed in subparagraph b of this paragraph will be established.
b. Information exchange. FmHA State Directors will develop with ASCS State Executive Directors a system for FmHA to routinely receive notification whenever a violation has occurred under ASCS's wetland and highly erodible land conservation restrictions. FmHA State Directors will in turn provide to any interested USDA agency the following information.
(1) Upon request, copies of site information or exemption decisions made by SCS for FmHA application reviews;
(2) Upon request, copies of exemption decisions made by FmHA; and
(3) Notice of any violations of the provisions of this exhibit identified by FmHA as a result of the monitoring activities identified in paragraph 10 of this exhibit.
14. Relationship of the requirements of this exhibit to the wetland protection requirements of Exhibit C of this subpart. The provisions of this exhibit determine (a) whether or not an applicant for a Farmer Program insured or guaranteed loan or a loan to an Indian Tribe or Tribal Corporation is eligible to be considered for such a loan, and (b) whether or not a recipient of such a loan is properly using the loan proceeds with respect to the requirements of this exhibit. On the other hand, the requirements in Exhibit C of this subpart regarding wetland protection cover all FmHA loan and grant programs and address not questions of eligibility but the potential environmental impacts of a proposed action on a wetland and alternatives to the action. Consequently, those applications covered by this exhibit and which may be approved under this exhibit must also meet the requirements of Exhibit C of this subpart. For example, an application covered by this exhibit (M) that proposed to convert a wetland into a tree farm would be exempt from this exhibit (M) because trees are not an agricultural commodity, i.e., there is no conversion in order to produce an agricultural commodity. However, before FmHA could make the loan, the requirements of Exhibit C of this subpart would have to be met to include an FmHA finding that no practicable alternative exists to the conversion of the wetland. In summary, any proposed wetland conversion that is not prohibited by this exhibit (M) must next meet the requirements of Exhibit C of this subpart before FmHA approval of the requested financial assistance could be provided.Exhibit M, Attachment 1 not automated see manual