(a) Actions involving more than one agency. If more than one Federal agency participates in a program activity, a lead agency shall be selected in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5(c). The lead agency, in full cooperation with all participating agencies, shall assume responsibility for involving the public as required in 40 CFR 1501.4(b) and shall prepare the EIS or shall cause the EIS to be prepared as provided in 40 CFR 1501.5.

(b) Notice of intent. If a responsible NIFA official designated in §3407.4(b) of this part recommends the preparation of an EIS, the public shall be apprised of the decision. This notice shall be prepared according to 40 CFR 1508.2.

(c) Draft and Final EIS. The process of preparing the draft and final EIS, as well as the format of the document, shall comply with the provisions of 40 CFR parts 1502-1506.

(d) Supplemental statements. Where substantial changes occur or new information becomes available under a project or activity for which an EIS or draft EIS has been prepared and it is determined by a responsible NIFA official specified in §3407.4(b) that the changes are pertinent to environmental concerns, a supplement to the EIS or draft EIS may be required. The supplement shall be evaluated and processed in accordance with 40 CFR 1502.9(c).

(e) Decisionmaking and implementation. A responsible NIFA official designated in §3407.4(b) may make a decision no sooner than thirty days after the notice of availability of the final EIS has been published in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR 1506.10). The decision will be documented in a record of decision as required by 40 CFR 1505.2, and monitoring and mitigation activities will be implemented as required by 40 CFR 1505.3.