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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(d) Regional Directors review field office comments, sign comment letters,
and forward comment letters to lead bureau, REO, OEPC, or Service
Washington Office, as indicated in the ES transmittal, with copy to DHC.
(e) DHC coordinates comments directed through the Washington Office with
other appropriate Service entities.
(f) Lead bureau prepares consolidated DOI letter for REO's signature.
(g) OEA prepares consolidated DOI letter for OEPC or A/S PMB signature.
(h) Lead Federal agency receives DOI comments.
(2) Service comments on DOI (bureau) environmental documents received by
DHC are generally signed at the Regional or field office level and are
processed as follows.
(a) DHC assigns an "EC" control number, prepares ES transmittal, and
routes to the Service reviewer.
(b) ES field office (or other appropriate office) prepares site-specific
review and prepares a comment letter for the Regional Director's signature,
unless otherwise instructed.
(c) Regional Directors review field office comments, sign comment letters,
and forward comments directly to lead bureau, with copy to DHC.
(d) Lead bureau receives Service's comments.
J. Signature Levels. In general, OEPC's instructions for processing
review comments are duplicated on the ES transmittal. Unless instructed
otherwise by the Department, signature levels are consistent with 032 FW
and 505 FW 1.6.
K. Review Deadlines/No Comments.
(1) EISs and some other environmental documents have time periods set by
law or regulation during which other agencies and the public may provide.
comments. CEQ's NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1506.10) require a minimum of 45
days for review and comment on draft EISs and a 30-day waiting period
following release of final EISs. However, Federal agencies may choose to
adopt longer, but not shorter, routine time periods. The time period is
calculated from the date the Notice of Availability (NOA) is published by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register. The
comment due date is provided in these notices. Time periods for draft and
final revised or supplemental EISs are calculated the same as for draft
EISs and final EISs. CEQ's NEPA regulations require agencies with
jurisdiction by law or special expertise to comment or reply that they have
no comments, within the time period specified (40 CFR 1503.2). The action
agency is under no legal obligation to consider comments received after the
established time period expires. To ensure that other agencies give full
consideration to Service concerns and comments, reviewers must meet the
deadlines given in the ES transmittal.