(a) Environmental assessment is a written analysis describing the environmental impact of a proposed or ongoing agency action, submitted to the agency either by its grantees or contractors, or by any person outside the agency as part of any program or project proposal within the scope of activities listed in § 520.4(b).
(b) Environmental review is a formal evaluation undertaken by the agency, culminating in a brief document (the environmental review report), to determine whether a proposed or ongoing NHTSA action may have a significant impact on the environment. The review document will be included in the proposed or ongoing agency action, and either support a negative declaration or recommend the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement.
(c) Draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) means a preliminary statement on the environmental impact of a proposed or ongoing NHTSA action which is circulated for comment and review within and outside NHTSA.
(d) Final environmental impact statement (FEIS) means a detailed statement which, pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act, identifies and analyzes the anticipated environmental impact of a proposed or ongoing NHTSA action.
(e) Negative declaration means a statement prepared subsequent to an environmental review, which states that a proposed or ongoing NHTSA action will have no significant environmental impact and therefore does not require a draft or final environmental impact statement.
authority: Secs. 102(2)(A), 102(2)(C), Pub. L. 91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (
42 U.S.C. 4332); secs. 2(b), 4(f), Pub. L. 89-670, 80 Stat. 931 (
49 U.S.C. 1651(b), 1653(f)); E.O. 11514, 35 FR 4247;
40 CFR part 1500; DOT Order 5610.1B, 39 FR 35234; delegations of authority at
49 CFR 1.45, 1.51
source: 40 FR 52396, Nov. 10, 1975, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 49 CFR 520.3