(a) FSA State Executive Directors (SEDs) or designees are the responsible approving officials (RAOs) in their respective States and are responsible for:

(1) Ensuring FSA proposed actions within their State comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations, and Executive Orders, including NEPA; and

(2) Appointing two or more collateral duty State Environmental Coordinators (SECs) or at least one full time SEC.

(b) An SED will not appoint more than one SEC for Farm Programs and one SEC for Farm Loan Programs in a State unless approved in writing by the NECM.

(c) SECs or designees are responsible for:

(1) Serving as the environmental compliance coordinators on all environmental-related matters within their respective State;

(2) Advising SEDs on environmental issues;

(3) Providing training, in coordination with the NECM, on NEPA and other environmental compliance requirements to appropriate FSA State and county office personnel;

(4) Providing assistance on environmental-related matters on a proposed action-by-action basis to State and county office personnel, as needed;

(5) When feasible, developing controls for avoiding or mitigating adverse environmental impacts and monitoring the implementation of those controls;

(6) Reviewing FSA proposed actions that are not categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, or that otherwise require State office approval or clearance, and making appropriate recommendations to the approving official;

(7) Providing assistance to resolve post-approval environmental issues at the State office level;

(8) Maintaining decision records for State office environmental compliance matters;

(9) Monitoring their respective State's compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and Executive Orders;

(10) Acting as a liaison on FSA State office environmental compliance matters with the public and other Federal, State, and Tribal governments;

(11) Representing the SED on environmental issues, as requested;

(12) Delegating duties under this section with the approval of both the SED and NECM; and

(13) Other NEPA and environmental compliance-related duties as assigned.

(d) County Executive Directors, District Directors, and Farm Loan Programs loan approval officers or designees are responsible for compliance with this part within their geographical areas.