The responsible entity must maintain a written record of the environmental review undertaken under this part for each project. This document will be designated the “Environmental Review Record” (ERR) and shall be available for public review. The Departmental Environmental Clearance Officer (DECO) shall establish a prescribed format that the responsible entity shall use to prepare the ERR. The DECO may prescribe alternative formats as necessary to meet specific program needs.

(a) ERR Documents. The ERR shall contain all the environmental review documents, public notices and written determinations or environmental findings required by this part as evidence of review, decisionmaking and actions pertaining to a particular project of a recipient. The document shall:

(1) Describe the project and the activities that the recipient has determined to be part of the project;

(2) Evaluate the effects of the project or the activities on the human environment;

(3) Document compliance with applicable statutes and authorities, in particular those cited in §58.5 and 58.6; and

(4) Record the written determinations and other review findings required by this part (e.g., exempt and categorically excluded projects determinations, findings of no significant impact).

(b) Other documents and information. The ERR shall also contain verifiable source documents and relevant base data used or cited in EAs, EISs or other project review documents. These documents may be incorporated by reference into the ERR provided that each source document is identified and available for inspection by interested parties. Proprietary material and special studies prepared for the recipient that are not otherwise generally available for public review shall not be incorporated by reference but shall be included in the ERR.

[61 FR 19122, Apr. 30, 1996, as amended at 79 FR 49229, Aug. 20, 2014]