9629

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9629
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Selected NEPA Documents.
• USFW Year: 1993.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

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opinions, and technical assistance in conducting necessary studies. The
Service should advise the lead agency that State fish and wildlife resource
agencies are often capable of providing basic data. Agreed upon time limits
in which the Service will provide studies and analyses should be
established prior to being undertaken, and should be adhered to. The
services of, and data available from, all Service divisions should be
utilized as appropriate.
D. Funding. Action agencies with a continuing need for Service
cooperation should be encouraged to make long-term commitments or supply
needed funds and personnel. For example, scopes of work (SOW) for funds
from the Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Bureau of Reclamation (BR)
describe the products to be delivered by the Service, deadlines for
delivery, and the amount of funds for the Service. Funding and other
issues may need to be negotiated annually between those agencies and
Service field offices. As applicable, SOWs should include descriptions of
the level of effort and funding necessary for adequate Service
participation as a cooperating agency. This discussion of funding pertains
only to Service participation as a cooperating agency. The costs of
scoping participation and of reviewing and commenting on EISs are normally
borne by the reviewing Federal agencies.
E. Declinations. The benefits of early coordination in another agency's
planning cannot be over-emphasized. Such coordination encourages early
resolution of fish and wildlife resource concerns, which may result in more
environmentally acceptable actions. Careful assessment of the resources to
be impacted and the magnitude and severity of potential impacts should be
made before the Service declines a request to cooperate. If, however, the
Service is precluded from cooperating due to other program commitments, or
if a mutually satisfactory agreement as to the level of involvement
(e.g., transfer of funds and/or personnel) cannot be reached, the Regional
Director should notify the requesting lead agency as soon as possible in
writing of the Service's intention not to be a cooperating agency.
2.3 Scoping. Basic procedures are described in 40 CFR 1501.7.
A. Scoping Process. "Scoping" is defined in CEQ's NEPA regulations as "an
early and open process for determining-the scope of issues to be addressed
and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action."
Potential alternatives should be described, if known. Scoping is a
document design process for the NEPA document, not a single event or
meeting. Scoping ends with the issuance of the draft EIS. The Service
should provide clear, concise and detailed comments on agency "notices of
intents," to seek early resolution of important concerns on wetlands,
endangered species, migratory birds, anadromous fish, and other resources.
Thus, scoping is a crucial step in the early planning stage for the Service
to identify fish and wildlife resource concerns and to define the depth to
which such concerns should be addressed in an EIS.
B. Initiation of Informal Scoping. Conflicts should be addressed by the
Service as soon as possible with the lead Federal agency. If possible,
this should occur before formal scoping commences to better assure
environmentally sensitive planning.