§ 601.25 Record of Decision.

(a) If NCPC is the Lead Agency and decides to recommend approval of a proposed action covered by an EIS, it shall prepare and sign a ROD stating the Commission's decision and any Mitigation measures required by the Commission.

(1) The ROD shall include among others:

(i) A statement of the decision.

(ii) The identification of alternatives considered in reaching a decision specifying the alternatives that were considered to be environmentally preferable. The ROD shall discuss preferences among alternatives based on relevant factors including economic and technical planning considerations and the Commission's statutory mission. The ROD shall identify those factors balanced to reach a decision and the influence of various factors on the decision.

(iii) A statement as to whether all practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the alternative selected has been adopted, and if not, why they are not.

(iv) A monitoring and enforcement program that summarizes Mitigation measures.

(v) Date of issuance.

(vi) Signature of the Chairman.

(2) The contents of the draft ROD proposed for Commission adoption shall be summarized in the EDR and a full version of the draft document shall be included as an Appendix to the EDR. The Draft ROD, independently of the EDR, shall be made available to the public for review fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the Commission's consideration of the proposed action for which the EIS was prepared.

(3) The Commission shall arrive at its decision about the proposed action for which NCPC serves as the Lead Agency and its environmental effects in a public meeting of record as identified by the Commission's monthly agenda.

(b) If NCPC is not the Lead Agency, following the Commission final approval of a project to which a ROD pertains, and consistent with the Federal Agency's NEPA regulations, NCPC may take one of the following actions. It may either co-sign the Lead Agency's ROD following Commission approval of the project if NCPC agrees with its contents and conclusions or it shall prepare, sign, and sign and adopt its own ROD in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section.

(c) If the Commission determines a Lead Agency's EIS fails to support a ROD, the Lead Agency shall revise its EIS, or, alternatively, the Commission shall not approve or give any further consideration to underlying application.