The following subsections specify how the Council will respond to an applicant's request for the Council's comments required to satisfy the applicant's responsibilities under section 106 of the Act and section 110 of the HCDA of 1980. When appropriate, an applicant may waive the Council time periods specified in these regulations.

(a) Executive Director's Objection to No Effect Determination. If the Executive Director has reason to question an applicant's determination of no effect, he shall notify the applicant and HUD. If the Executive Director does not object within 15 days of such notification, the project may proceed. If the Executive Director objects, he shall specify whether or not the project will have an adverse effect on National Register property and/or property which meets the Criteria. Normally, the Executive Director will object to a determination of no effect when the record does not support the applicant's determination (see § 801.7(a)). The applicant must then comply with the provisions of subsection (b) if the Executive Director determines that the project will have no adverse effect or subsection (c) if the Executive Director has determined that the project will have an adverse effect.

(b) Response to Determinations of No Adverse Effect. (1) Upon receipt of a Determination of No Adverse Effect from an applicant, the Executive Director will review the Determination and supporting documentation required by § 801.7(a). Failure to provide the required information at the time the applicant requests Council comments will delay the process. The Executive Director will respond to the applicant within 15 days after receipt of the information required in § 801.7(a). Unless the Executive Director objects to the Determination within 15 days after receipt, the applicant will be considered to have satisfied its responsibilities under section 106 of the Act and these regulations and no further Council review is required.

(2) If the Executive Director objects to a Determination of No Adverse Effect, the consultation process pursuant to § 801.4(c) shall be initiated.

(c) Consultation process. If any aspect of the project is found to have adverse effects on National Register property or property which has been determined by the applicant or the Secretary of the Interior to meet the Criteria, the applicant, the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Executive Director shall consult to consider feasible and prudent alternatives to the project that could avoid, mitigate, or minimize the adverse effect on the affected property.

(1) Parties. The applicant, the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Executive Director shall be the consulting parties. The Department of HUD, other representatives of national, State, or local units of government, other parties in interest, and public and private organizations, may be invited by the consulting parties to participate in the consultation process.

(2) Timing. The consulting parties shall have a total of 45 days from the receipt by the Executive Director of the information required in § 801.7(a) to agree upon feasible and prudent alternatives to avoid, mitigate, or minimize any adverse effects of the project. Failure of an applicant to provide the information required in § 801.7(b) will delay the beginning of the time period specified above.

(3) Information requirements. The applicant shall provide copies of the information required in § 801.7(b) to the consulting parties at the initiation of the consultation process and make it readily available for public inspection.

(4) Public meeting. An onsite inspection and a Public Information Meeting may be held in accordance with the provisions of 36 CFR 800.6(b). Public hearings or meetings conducted by the applicant in the preparation of the application may, as specified below, substitute for such Public Information Meetings. Upon request of the applicant, the Executive Director may find that such public meetings have been adequate to consider the effect of the project on National Register properties or properties which meet the Criteria, and no further Public Information Meeting is required.

(5) Consideration of alternatives. During the consultation period, the consulting parties shall, in accordance with the policies set forth in 36 CFR 800.6(b) (4) and (5), review the proposed project to determine whether there are prudent and feasible alternatives to avoid or satisfactorily mitigate adverse effect. If they agree on such alternatives, they shall execute a Memorandum of Agreement in accordance with § 801.4(c) specifying how the undertaking will proceed to avoid or mitigate the adverse effect.

(6) Acceptance of adverse effect. If the consulting parties determine that there are no feasible and prudent alternatives that could avoid or satisfactorily mitigate the adverse effects and agree that it is in the public interest to proceed with the proposed project they shall execute a Memorandum of Agreement in accordance with § 801.4(c) acknowledging this determination and specifying any recording, salvage, or other measures associated with acceptance of the adverse effects that shall be taken before the project proceeds.

(7) Failure to agree. Upon the failure of the consulting parties to agree upon the terms for a Memorandum of Agreement within the specified time period, or upon notice of a failure to agree by any consulting party to the Executive Director, the Executive Director within 15 days shall recommend to the Chairman whether the matter should be scheduled for consideration at a Council meeting. If the Executive Director recommends that the Council not consider the matter, he shall simultaneously notify all Council members and provide them copies of the preliminary case report and the recommendation to the Chairman. The applicant and the State Historic Preservation Officer shall be notified in writing of the Executive Director's recommendation.

(d) Memorandum of Agreement—(1) Preparation of Memorandum of Agreement. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Director to prepare each Memorandum of Agreement required under this part. As appropriate, other parties may be invited by the consulting parties to be signatories to the Agreement or otherwise indicate their concurrence with the Agreement. In order to facilitate the process, the applicant may provide the Executive Director a draft for a Memorandum of Agreement. At the applicant's option, such draft may be prepared at the time the applicant makes its determinations that properties listed in the National Register or which may meet the Criteria for listing in the National Register may be adversely affected. The applicant must provide the State Historic Preservation Officer an opportunity to concur in or comment on its draft Agreement.

(2) Review of Memorandum of Agreement. Upon receipt of an executed Memorandum of Agreement, the Chairman shall institute a 15 day review period. Unless the Chairman notifies the applicant that the matter has been placed on the agenda for consideration at a Council meeting, the Agreement shall become final when ratified by the Chairman or upon the expiration of the 15 day review period with no action taken. Copies will be provided to signatories. A copy of the Memorandum of Agreement should be included in any Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

(3) Effect of Memorandum of Agreement. (i) Agreements duly executed in accordance with these regulations shall constitute the comments of the Council and shall evidence satisfaction of the applicant's responsibilities for the proposed project under section 106 of the Act and these regulations.

(ii) If the Council has commented on an application that is not approved by HUD and a subsequent UDAG application is made for the same project, the project need not be referred to the Council again unless there is a significant amendment to the project which would alter the effect of the project on previously considered properties or result in effects on additional National Register properties or properties which meet the Criteria.

(iii) Failure to carry out the terms of a Memorandum of Agreement requires that the applicant again request the Council's comments in accordance with these regulations. In such instances, until the Council issues its comments under these regulations the applicant shall not take or sanction any action or make any irreversible or irretrievable commitment that could result in an adverse effect with respect to National Register properties or properties which are eligible for inclusion in the National Register covered by the Agreement or that would foreclose the Council's consideration of modifications or alternatives to the proposed project that could avoid or mitigate the adverse effect.

(4) Amendment of a Memorandum of Agreement. Amendments to the Agreement may be made as specified in 36 CFR 800.6(c)(4).

(5) Report on Memorandum of Agreement. Within 90 days after carrying out the terms of the Agreement, the applicant shall report to all signatories on the actions taken.

(e) Council Meetings. Council meetings to consider a project will be conducted in accordance with the policies set forth in 36 CFR 800.6(d).

(1) Response to recommendation concerning consideration at Council meeting. Upon receipt of a recommendation from the Executive Director concerning consideration of a proposed project at a Council meeting, the Chairman shall determine whether or not the project will be considered. The Chairman shall make a decision within 15 days of receipt of the recommendation of the Executive Director. In reaching a decision the Chairman shall consider any comments from Council members. If three members of the Council object within the 15 day period to the Executive Director's recommendation, the project shall be scheduled for consideration at a Council or panel meeting. Unless the matter is scheduled for consideration by the Council the Chairman shall notify the applicant, the Department of HUD, the State Historic Preservation Officer and other parties known to be interested of the decision not to consider the matter. Such notice shall be evidence of satisfaction of the applicant's responsibilities for the proposed project under section 106 of the Act and these regulations.

(2) Decision to consider the project. When the Council will consider a proposed project at a meeting, the Chairman shall either designate five members as a panel to hear the matter on behalf of the full Council or schedule the matter for consideration by the full Council. In either case, the meeting shall take place within 30 days of the Chairman's decision to consider the project, unless the applicant agrees to a longer time.

(i) A panel shall consist of three non-Federal members, one as Chairman, and two Federal members. The Department of HUD may not be a member of such panel.

(ii) Prior to any panel or full Council consideration of a matter, the Chairman will notify the applicant and the State Historic Preservation Officer and other interested parties of the date on which the project will be considered. The Executive Director, the applicant, the Department of HUD, and the State Historic Preservation Officer shall prepare reports in accordance with § 801.7(b). Reports from the applicant and the State Historic Preservation Officer must be received by the Executive Director at least 7 days before any meeting.

(3) Notice of Council meetings. At least 7 days notice of all meetings held pursuant to this section shall be given by publication in the Federal Register. The Council shall provide a copy of the notice by mail to the applicant, the State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Council will inform the public of the meeting through appropriate local media.

(4) Statements to the Council. An agenda shall provide for oral statements from the Executive Director; the applicant; the Department of HUD; parties in interest; the Secretary of the Interior; the State Historic Preservation Officer; representatives of national, State, or local units of government; and interested public and private organizations and individuals. Parties wishing to make oral remarks should notify the Executive Director at least two days in advance of the meeting. Parties wishing to have their written statements distributed to Council members prior to the meeting should send copies of the statements to the Executive Director at least 5 days in advance.

(5) Comments of the Council. The written comments of the Council will be issued within 7 days after a meeting. Comments by a panel shall be considered the comments of the full Council. Comments shall be made to the applicant requesting comment and to the Department of HUD. Immediately after the comments are made to the applicant and the Department of HUD, the comments of the Council will be forwarded to the President and the Congress as a special report under authority of section 202(b) of the Act and a notice of availability will be published in the Federal Register. The comments of the Council shall be made available to the State Historic Preservation Officer, other parties in interest, and the public upon receipt of the comments by the applicant. The applicant should include the comments of the Council in any final Environmental Impact Statement prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

(6) Action in response to Council comments. The comments of the Council shall be taken into account in reaching a final decision on the proposed project. When a final decision regarding the proposed project is reached by the applicant and the Department of HUD, they shall submit written reports to the Council describing the actions taken by them and other parties in response to the Council's comments and the impact that such actions will have on the affected National Register properties or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register. Receipt of this report by the Chairman shall be evidence that the applicant has satisfied its responsibilities for the proposed project under section 106 of the Act and these regulations. The Council may issue a final report to the President and the Congress under authority of section 202(b) of the Act describing the actions taken in response to the Council's comments including recommendations for changes in Federal policy and programs, as appropriate.

(f) Suspense of Action. Until the Council issues its comments under these regulations and during the State Historic Preservation Officer Review Period and the determination period of the Secretary of the Interior, good faith consultation shall preclude the applicant from taking or sanctioning any action or making any irreversible or irretrievable commitment that could result in an adverse effect on a National Register property or property which may meet the Criteria or that would foreclose the consideration of modifications or alternatives to the proposed project that could avoid, mitigate, or minimize such adverse effects. In no case shall UDAG funds be used for physical activities on the project site until the Council comments have been completed. Normal planning and processing of applications short of actual commitment of funds to the project may proceed.

(g) Lead Agency. If the project proposed by the applicant involves one or more Federal agencies, they may agree on a single lead agency to meet the requirements of section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and section 110 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 and notify the Executive Director. If the applicant is the designated lead agency, these regulations shall be followed. If a Federal agency is designated lead agency, the process in 36 CFR part 800 shall be used.

(h) Compliance by a Federal Agency. An applicant may make a finding that it proposes to accept a Federal agency's compliance with section 106 of the Act and 36 CFR 800 where its review of the Federal agency's findings indicate that:

(1) The project is identical with an undertaking reviewed by the Council under 36 CFR part 800; and

(2) The project and its impacts are included within the area of potential environmental impact described by the Federal agency;