Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Agency is required to assess the potential impact of the proposed action on protected environmental resources. Measures to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts to protected resources may require a change in the site or project design. Therefore, a site cannot be approved until the Agency has completed the environmental review requirements in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970. Likewise, the applicant should be informed that the environmental review must be completed and approved before the Agency can make a commitment of resources to the project.

[81 FR 11049, Mar. 2, 2016]