As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NIFA determines whether a grantee will be required to submit an Environmental Assessment (EA) for their project.
Typically, NIFA-funded programs will not require the preparation of an Environmental Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) if there is no anticipated individual or cumulative effect on the quality of the environment.
Determination
| Requirement | Required by: | Applies to: | Additional Resources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Environmental Protection Act | NIFA must determine if applicants, as a result of their proposed activities, will be required to submit an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement or whether the proposed activity will be exempt from environmental review under NEPA. | 7 C.F.R. 1b; 7 C.F.R. 3407.1; 7 C.F.R. 3407.5(a)-(c) |
Projects that will likely have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment or will be performed under extraordinary circumstances will typically require preparation of an EIS. NIFA follows the categorical exclusions established by the USDA set forth in 7 C.F.R. 1b.3. |
Typically, NIFA-funded programs will not require the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) if there is no anticipated individual or cumulative effect on the quality of the environment. |
7 CFR Part 1b, National Environmental Policy Act
7 CFR Part 3407, USDA implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Applicants – The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) utilizes electronic forms that are part of the SF-424 R&R Forms Family for the submission of applications through Grants.gov to NIFA. Within the SF-424 R&R Forms Family is the R&R Other Project Information Form which has applicants address question(s) associated with the impact on the environment. Applications submitted to NIFA undergo a review which includes consideration of the environmental questions addressed by the applicants. The responsible programmatic contact must address NEPA as related to applications recommended for funding.
Pre-Construction Environmental Assessments (PEA)