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18 <br />(4) Make available staff support at the lead agency's request to enhance the latter's <br />interdisciplinary capability. <br />(5) Normally use its own funds. The lead agency shall, to the extent available funds <br />permit, fund those major activities or analyses it requests from cooperating agencies. <br />Potential lead agencies shall include such funding requirements in their budget requests. <br />(c) A cooperating agency may in response to a lead agency's request for assistance in <br />preparing the environmental impact statement (described in paragraph (b) (3), (4), or (5) of <br />this section) reply that other program commitments preclude any involvement or the degree <br />of involvement requested in the action that is the subject of the environmental impact <br />statement. A copy of this reply shall be submitted to the Council. <br />1501.7 Scoping. <br />There shall be an early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be <br />addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action. This process <br />shall be termed scoping. As soon as practicable after its decision to prepare an <br />environmental impact statement and before the scoping process the lead agency shall publish <br />a notice of intent (SS 1508.22) in the FEDERAL REGISTER except as provided in SS <br />1507.3(e). <br />(a) As part of the scoping process the lead agency shall: <br />(1) Invite the participation of affected Federal, State, and local agencies, any affected <br />Indian tribe, the proponent of the action, and other interested persons (including those who <br />might not be in accord with the action on environmental grounds), unless there is a limited <br />exception under SS 1507.3(c). An agency may give notice in accordance with SS 1506.6. <br />(2) Determine the scope (SS 1508.25) and the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in <br />the environmental impact statement. <br />(3) Identify and eliminate from detailed study the issues which are not significant or <br />which have been covered by prior environmental review (SS 1506.3), narrowing the <br />discussion of these issues in the statement to a brief presentation of why they will not have a <br />significant effect on the human environment or providing a reference to their coverage else- <br />where. <br />(4) Allocate assignments for preparation of the environmental impact statement among <br />the lead and cooperating agencies, with the lead agency retaining responsibility for the <br />statement. <br />(5) Indicate any public environmental assessments and other environmental impact <br />statements which are being or will be prepared that are related to but are not part of the <br />scope of the impact statement under consideration. <br />(6) Identify other environmental review and consultation requirements so the lead and <br />cooperating agencies may prepare other required analyses and studies concurrently with, and <br />integrated with, the environmental impact statement as provided in SS 1502.25. <br />(7) Indicate the relationship between the timing of the preparation of environmental <br />analyses and the agency's tentative planning and decisionmaking schedule. <br />(b) As part of the scoping process the lead agency may: <br />(1) Set page limits on environmental documents (SS 1502.7). <br />(2) Set time Iimits (SS 1501.8). <br />