Definitions for many terms used in these regulations may be found in section 1508 of the CEQ Regulations. In addition, for the purpose of these regulations, the term:

(a) Responsible action officer means the Department officer principally responsible for the preparation of action memoranda and other documents relating to a given Departmental action to which by these regulations apply. Ordinarily, the responsible action officer will be the country or office director whose office has action responsibility for a given action.

(b) CEQ Regulations means the regulations implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, issued by the Council on Environmental Quality on November 29, 1978 (43 FR 55978-56007), and codified at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.

(c) United States means the States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the other territories and possessions of the United States, including the territorial seas thereof. For the purpose of these regulations, actions having significant environmental effects on the resources of the U.S. continental shelf or resources of the U.S. Fishery Conservation Zone subject to the jurisdiction of the United States shall be considered to be actions having significant environmental effects in the United States.

(d) Environmental document means an environmental assessment, an environmental impact statement, a Finding of No Significant Impact or a Notice of Intent prepared under these regulations.