(a) Section 1501.2(d) of the CEQ NEPA regulations requires Federal agencies to provide for early involvement in activities which, while planned by private or other non-Federal entities, requires some subsequent form of Federal approval or action to which NEPA applies. Such activities for which early involvement is appropriate include those private, local, State, or regional water and related land resources plans, projects or programs which should be included in a regional water resources management plan or Level B plan, since the plans normally required an EIS or assessment as provided in § 707.8(a) of this NEPA rule.

(b) To facilitate the implementation of 40 CFR 1501.2(d), the appropriate RFO shall publish and distribute in the region or basin in which a comprehensive or Level B study is conducted, guidelines for non-Federal entities of the types of plans, projects, and programs which shall be included in such comprehensive or Level B plan. The RFO shall advise non-Federal entities on the scope and level of environmental information and analysis needed for environmental documents.

(a) Section 1505.1 of the NEPA regulations contains requirements to ensure adequate consideration of the environmental documents in agency decisionmaking. To implement these requirements, the RFO shall:

(1) Consider relevant environmental documents in evaluating actions proposed in plans and studies.

(2) Make relevant environmental documents, comments, and responses part of the record in any formal rulemaking or adjudicatory proceedings.

(3) Ensure that relevant environmental documents, comments and responses accompany the proposed actions through existing review processes.

(4) Consider only those alternatives encompassed by the range of alternatives discussed in the relevant environmental documents when evaluating proposals for agency action.

(5) Where an EIS has been prepared, consider the specific alternatives analyzed in the EIS when evaluating the proposal which is the subject of the EIS.

(b) The NEPA process begins at the earliest possible stage of the planning process and is completed when the RFO makes a finding of significant impact or a record of decision. In cases where the Chairman of a River Basin Commission, or regional Federal official has been designated as the RFO, and a plan or report is submitted to WRC for review and comment after completion of the NEPA process, the environmental documents incorporated into such plans or reports, or submitted with them, shall be fully considered by WRC when it prepares its views, comments, and recommendations for transmittal to the President and Congress. The RFO shall include the Findings of No Significant Impact, or the Record of Decision, with the documents submitted to WRC for review.

(a) Section 1507.3(b)(2) of the CEQ NEPA regulations in conjunction with § 1508.4 requires agencies to establish three typical classes of action for similar treatment under NEPA. These typical classes of actions are set forth below:

(1) Actions normally requiring EIS's:

(i) Adoption, approval or submittal of regional water resources management plans (comprehensive, coordinated, joint plans or elements thereof).

(ii) Adoption, approval or submittal of Level B plans.

(2) Actions normally requiring assessments but not necessarily EIS's:

(i) Establishment and implementing guidance (including significant changes) in principles, standards, and procedures for planning water and related land resources.

(ii) Adoption, approval or submittal of framework studies and special studies which include recommendations for future actions.

(iii) Any action not in paragraph (a) (1) or (3) of this section.

(3) Actions normally not requiring assessments or EIS's (categorical exclusions):

(i) Approval of Title III State planning grants.

(ii) Adoption, approval or transmittal or priorities reports.

(iii) Preparation of the National Water Assessment.

(iv) Recommendations to the President with the respect to Federal policies and programs, except for transmittal of plans described in paragraph (a) (1) or (2) of this section for which the original EIS or Environmental Assessment (EA) will be transmitted with the plan. A second EIS is not required.

(v) Framework studies and assessments and special studies which do not include recommendations for future actions.

(b) Where the presence of extraordinary circumstances indicates that an action normally excluded may have a significant environmental effect, the appropriate RFO shall independently determine whether an EIS or an environmental assessment is required.

In accordance with the CEQ NEPA regulations 40 CFR 1502.4(d) and 1508.28(a), this NEPA rule emphasizes the use of tiering to relate broad and narrow actions. The level of detail in EIS's and EA's prepared by RBC's, WRC interagency committees or WRC coordinating committees will reflect the level of detail in the plans, particularly the comprehensive and policy nature of comprehensive, coordinated, joint plans or elements or revisions thereof. These EIS's are not intended to substitute for individual statements on individual projects as more detailed planning and analysis will be required for major Federal actions proposed in these plans. The “policy” or “overview” EIS should serve as the framework and introduction for a more site-specific project EIS developed by the implementing Federal agency. Environmental impact statements for regional water resource management and Level B plans will generally address the items in the recommended format (40 CFR 1502.10) on the basis of water and related land resources of an entire region or river basin. This is the level of consideration at which the environmental issues and considerations are most relevant to decisionmaking. They may also address groups of interrelated or individual plan elements where these involve significant environmental considerations.

Scoping will be used to determine the extent of issues to be addressed by the EIS and to identify significant issues related to the proposed action. Scoping will be conducted as described by the CEQ NEPA regulations, §§ 1501.7 and 1508.25.

Interested persons may contact the Director, U.S. Water Resources Council, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037, for information regarding the Council's compliance with NEPA.