(a) FSA has determined that the categories of proposed actions listed in §§ 799.31 and 799.32 do not normally individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and do not threaten a violation of applicable statutory, regulatory, or permit requirements for environment, safety, and health, including requirements of Executive Orders and other USDA regulations in this chapter. Based on FSA's previous experience implementing these actions and similar actions through the completion of EAs, these proposed actions are categorically excluded.

(b) If a proposed action falls within one of the categories of proposed actions listed in § 1b.3 of this title, § 799.31, or § 799.32, and there are no extraordinary circumstances present as specified in § 799.33, then the proposed action is categorically excluded from the requirements to prepare an EA or an EIS.

(c) Those proposed actions in categories in § 799.31 or § 799.32 will be considered categorical exclusions unless it is determined there are extraordinary circumstances, as specified in § 799.33.

(a) Proposed actions listed in this section involve no new ground disturbance below the existing plow zone (does not exceed the depth of previous tillage or disturbance) and therefore only need to be recorded on the ESW; no further review will be required. Unless otherwise noted, the proposed actions in this section also do not have the potential to cause effects to historic properties, and will therefore not be reviewed for compliance with section 106 of NHPA (54 U.S.C. 306108) or its implementing regulations, 36 CFR part 800. However, some proposed actions may require other Federal consultation to determine if there are extraordinary circumstances as specified in § 799.33.

(b) The following proposed actions are categorically excluded. These proposed actions are grouped into broader categories of similar types of proposed actions. Those proposed actions that are similar in scope (purpose, intent, and breadth) and the potential significance of impacts to those listed in this section, but not specifically listed in § 799.31 or § 799.32, will be considered categorical exclusions in this category, unless it is determined that extraordinary circumstances exist, as specified in § 799.33:

(1) Loan actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for proposed actions related to FSA loans:

(i) Closing cost payments;

(ii) Commodity loans;

(iii) Debt set asides;

(iv) Deferral of loan payments;

(v) Youth loans;

(vi) Loan consolidation;

(vii) Loans for annual operating expenses, except livestock;

(viii) Loans for equipment;

(ix) Loans for family living expenses;

(x) Loan subordination, with no or minimal construction below the depth of previous tillage or ground disturbance, and no change in operations, including, but not limited to, an increase in animal numbers to exceed the current CAFO designation (as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 40 CFR 122.23);

(xi) Loans to pay for labor costs;

(xii) Loan (debt) transfers and assumptions with no new ground disturbance;

(xiii) Partial or complete release of loan collateral;

(xiv) Re-amortization of loans;

(xv) Refinancing of debt;

(xvi) Rescheduling loans;

(xvii) Restructuring of loans; and

(xvii) Writing down of debt;

(2) Repair, improvement, or minor modification actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for repair, improvement, or minor modification proposed actions:

(i) Existing fence repair;

(ii) Improvement or repair of farm-related structures under 50 years of age; and

(iii) Minor amendments or revisions to previously approved projects, provided such proposed actions do not substantively alter the purpose, operation, location, impacts, or design of the project as originally approved;

(3) Administrative actions. The following list includes categorically excluded administrative proposed actions:

(i) Issuing minor technical corrections to regulations, handbooks, and internal guidance, as well as amendments to them;

(ii) Personnel actions, reduction-in-force, or employee transfers; and

(iii) Procurement actions for goods and services conducted in accordance with Executive Orders;

(4) Planting actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for planting proposed actions:

(i) Bareland planting or planting without site preparation;

(ii) Bedding site establishment for wildlife;

(iii) Chiseling and subsoiling;

(iv) Clean tilling firebreaks;

(v) Conservation crop rotation;

(vi) Contour farming;

(vii) Contour grass strip establishment;

(viii) Cover crop and green manure crop planting;

(ix) Critical area planting;

(x) Firebreak installation;

(xi) Grass, forbs, or legume planting;

(xii) Heavy use area protection;

(xiii) Installation and maintenance of field borders or field strips;

(xiv) Pasture, range, and hayland planting;

(xv) Seeding of shrubs;

(xvi) Seedling shrub planting;

(xvii) Site preparation;

(xviii) Strip cropping;

(xix) Wildlife food plot planting; and

(xx) Windbreak and shelterbelt establishment;

(5) Management actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions of land and resource management proposed actions:

(i) Forage harvest management;

(ii) Integrated crop management;

(iii) Mulching, including plastic mulch;

(iv) Netting for hard woods;

(v) Obstruction removal;

(vi) Pest management (consistent with all labelling and use requirements);

(vii) Plant grafting;

(viii) Plugging artesian wells;

(ix) Residue management including seasonal management;

(x) Roof runoff management;

(xi) Thinning and pruning of plants;

(xii) Toxic salt reduction; and

(xiii) Water spreading; and

(6) Other FSA actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for other FSA proposed actions:

(i) Conservation easement purchases with no construction planned;

(ii) Emergency program proposed actions (including Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program) that have a total cost share of less than $5,000;

(iii) Financial assistance to supplement income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, or influence the cost and supply of such commodities or programs of a similar nature or intent (that is, price support programs);

(iv) Individual farm participation in FSA programs where no ground disturbance or change in land use occurs as a result of the proposed action or participation;

(v) Inventory property disposal or lease with protective easements or covenants;

(vi) Safety net programs administered by FSA;

(vii) Site characterization, environmental testing, and monitoring where no significant alteration of existing ambient conditions would occur, including air, surface water, groundwater, wind, soil, or rock core sampling; installation of monitoring wells; installation of small scale air, water, or weather monitoring equipment;

(viii) Stand analysis for forest management planning;

(ix) Tree protection including plastic tubes; and

(x) Proposed actions involving another agency that are fully covered by one or more of that agency's categorical exclusions (on the ESW, to record the categorical exclusion, FSA will name the other agency and list the specific categorical exclusion(s) that applies).

(a) Proposed actions listed in this section may be categorically excluded after completion of a review with an ESW to document that a proposed action does not involve extraordinary circumstances as specified in § 799.33.

(b) This section has two types of categorical exclusions, one without construction and ground disturbance and one with construction and ground disturbance that will require additional environmental review and consultation in most cases.

(c) Consultations under NHPA, ESA, and other relevant environmental mandates, may be required to document that no extraordinary circumstances exist.

(d) The following proposed actions are grouped into broader categories of similar types of proposed actions without ground disturbance. Those proposed actions that are similar in scope (purpose, intent, and breadth) and the potential significance of impacts to those listed in this section, but not specifically listed in this section, will be considered categorical exclusions in this category, unless it is determined that extraordinary circumstances exist, as specified in § 799.33:

(1) Loan actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for proposed actions related to FSA loans:

(i) Farm storage and drying facility loans for added capacity;

(ii) Loans for livestock purchases;

(iii) Release of loan security for forestry purposes;

(iv) Reorganizing farm operations; and

(v) Replacement building loans;

(2) Minor management, construction, or repair actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for minor construction or repair proposed actions:

(i) Minor construction, such as a small addition;

(ii) Drain tile replacement;

(iii) Erosion control measures;

(iv) Grading, leveling, shaping, and filling;

(v) Grassed waterway establishment;

(vi) Hillside ditches;

(vii) Land-clearing operations of no more than 15 acres, provided any amount of land involved in tree harvesting (without stump removal) is to be conducted on a sustainable basis and according to a Federal, State, Tribal, or other governmental unit approved forestry management plan;

(viii) Nutrient management;

(ix) Permanent establishment of a water source for wildlife (not livestock);

(x) Restoring and replacing property;

(xi) Soil and water development;

(xii) Spring development;

(xiii) Trough or tank installation; and

(xiv) Water harvesting catchment; and

(3) Other FSA actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for other FSA proposed actions:

(i) Fence installation and replacement;

(ii) Fish stream improvement;

(iii) Grazing land mechanical treatment; and

(iv) Inventory property disposal or lease without protective easements or covenants (this proposed action, in particular, has the potential to cause effects to historic properties and therefore requires analysis under section 106 of NHPA (54 U.S.C. 306108), as well as under the ESA and wetland protection requirements).

(e) The following proposed actions are grouped into broader categories of similar types of proposed actions with ground disturbance, each of the listed proposed actions has the potential for extraordinary circumstances because they include construction or ground disturbance. Therefore, additional environmental review and consultation will be necessary in most cases. Those proposed actions that are similar in scope (purpose, intent, and breadth) and the potential significance of impacts to those listed in this section, but not specifically listed in this section, will be considered categorical exclusions in this category, unless it is determined that extraordinary circumstances exist, as specified in § 799.33:

(1) Loan actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for proposed actions related to FSA loans:

(i) Loans and loan subordination with construction, demolition, or ground disturbance planned;

(ii) Real estate purchase loans with new ground disturbance planned; and

(iii) Term operating loans with construction or demolition planned;

(2) Construction or ground disturbance actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for construction or ground disturbance proposed actions:

(i) Bridges;

(ii) Chiseling and subsoiling in areas not previously tilled;

(iii) Construction of a new farm storage facility;

(iv) Dams;

(v) Dikes and levees;

(vi) Diversions;

(vii) Drop spillways;

(viii) Dugouts;

(ix) Excavation;

(x) Grade stabilization structures;

(xi) Grading, leveling, shaping and filling in areas or to depths not previously disturbed;

(xii) Installation of structures designed to regulate water flow such as pipes, flashboard risers, gates, chutes, and outlets;

(xiii) Irrigation systems;

(xiv) Land smoothing;

(xv) Line waterways or outlets;

(xvi) Lining;

(xvii) Livestock crossing facilities;

(xviii) Pesticide containment facility;

(xix) Pipe drop;

(xx) Pipeline for watering facility;

(xxi) Ponds, including sealing and lining;

(xxii) Precision land farming with ground disturbance;

(xxiii) Riparian buffer establishment;

(xxiv) Roads, including access roads;

(xxv) Rock barriers;

(xxvi) Rock filled infiltration trenches;

(xxvii) Sediment basin;

(xxviii) Sediment structures;

(xxix) Site preparation for planting or seeding in areas not previously tilled;

(xxx) Soil and water conservation structures;

(xxxi) Stream bank and shoreline protection;

(xxxii) Structures for water control;

(xxxiii) Subsurface drains;

(xxxiv) Surface roughening;

(xxxv) Terracing;

(xxxvi) Underground outlets;

(xxxvii) Watering tank or trough installation, if in areas not previously disturbed;

(xxxviii) Wells; and

(xxxix) Wetland restoration.

(3) Management and planting type actions. The following list includes categorical exclusions for resource management and planting proposed actions:

(i) Establishing or maintaining wildlife plots in areas not previously tilled or disturbed;

(ii) Prescribed burning;

(iii) Tree planting when trees have root balls of one gallon container size or larger; and

(iv) Wildlife upland habitat management.

(a) As specified in 40 CFR 1508.4, in the definition of categorical exclusion, procedures are required to provide for extraordinary circumstances in which a normally categorically excluded action may have a significant environmental effect. The presence and impacts of extraordinary circumstances require heightened review of proposed actions that would otherwise be categorically excluded. Extraordinary circumstances include, but are not limited to:

(1) Scientific controversy about environmental effects of the proposed action;

(2) Impacts that are potentially adverse, significant, uncertain, or involve unique or unknown risks, including, but not limited to, impacts to protected resources. Protected resources include, but are not limited to:

(i) Property (for example, sites, buildings, structures, and objects) of historic, archeological, or architectural significance, as designated by Federal, Tribal, State, or local governments, or property eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places;

(ii) Federally-listed threatened or endangered species or their habitat (including critical habitat), or Federally-proposed or candidate species or their habitat;

(iii) Important or prime agricultural, forest, or range lands, as specified in part 657 of this chapter and in USDA Departmental Regulation 9500-3;

(iv) Wetlands, waters of the United States, as regulated under the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), highly erodible land, or floodplains;

(v) Areas having a special designation, such as Federally- and State-designated wilderness areas, national parks, national natural landmarks, wild and scenic rivers, State and Federal wildlife refuges, and marine sanctuaries; and

(vi) Special sources of water, such as sole-source aquifers, wellhead protection areas, or other water sources that are vital in a region;

(3) A proposed action that is also “connected” (as specified in 40 CFR 1508.25(a)(1)) to other actions with potential impacts;

(4) A proposed action that is related to other proposed actions with cumulative impacts (40 CFR 1508.25(a)(2));

(5) A proposed action that does not comply with 40 CFR 1506.1, “Limitations on actions during NEPA process;” and

(6) A proposed action that violates any existing Federal, State, or local government law, policy, or requirements (for example, wetland laws, Clean Water Act-related requirements, water rights).

(b) FSA will use the ESW to review proposed actions that are eligible for categorical exclusion to determine if extraordinary circumstances exist that could impact protected resources. If an extraordinary circumstance exists, and cannot be avoided or appropriately mitigated, an EA or EIS will be prepared, as specified in this part. Specifically, FSA will complete a review with the ESW for proposed actions that fall within the list of categorical exclusions specified in § 799.32 to determine whether extraordinary circumstances are present.

(c) For any proposed actions that have the potential to cause effects to historic properties, endangered species, waters of the United States, wetlands, and other protected resources, FSA will ensure appropriate analyses is completed to comply with the following mandates:

(1) For section 106 of the NHPA (54 U.S.C. 306108), the regulations in 36 CFR part 800, “Protection of Historic Properties;” if an authorized technical representative from another Federal agency assists with compliance with 36 CFR part 800, FSA will remain responsible for any consultation with SHPO, THPO, or Tribal governments;

(2) For section 7 of the ESA that governs the protection of Federally proposed, threatened and endangered species and their designated and proposed critical habitats; and

(3) For the Clean Water Act and related Executive Order provisions for avoiding impacts to wetlands and waters of the United States, including impaired waters listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

(d) If technical assistance is provided by another Federal agency, FSA will ensure that the environmental documentation provided is commensurate to or exceeds the requirements of the FSA ESW. If it is not, a review with an ESW is needed to determine if an EA or EIS is warranted.

(a) As part of the process to establish a new categorical exclusion, FSA will consider all relevant information, including the following:

(1) Completed FSA NEPA documents;

(2) Other Federal agency NEPA documents on proposed actions that could be considered similar to the categorical exclusion being considered;

(3) Results of impact demonstration or pilot projects;

(4) Information from professional staff, expert opinions, and scientific analyses; and

(5) The experiences of FSA, private, and public parties that have taken similar actions.

(b) FSA will consult with CEQ and appropriate Federal agencies while developing or modifying a categorical exclusion.

(c) Before establishing a new final categorical exclusion, FSA will follow the CEQ specified process for establishing Categorical Exclusions, including consultation with CEQ and an opportunity for public review and comment as required by 40 CFR 1507.3.

(d) FSA will maintain an administrative record that includes the supporting information and findings used in establishing a categorical exclusion.

(e) FSA will periodically review its categorical exclusions to identify and revise exclusions that no longer effectively reflect environmental circumstances or current FSA program scope.

(f) FSA will use the same process specified in this section and the results of its periodic reviews to revise a categorical exclusion or remove a categorical exclusion.