(a) An EA shall be required for each proposal for demolition, construction, reconstruction, development, preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of real property submitted by a project applicant to the Trust for its review, and which the decision-maker agrees to consider, unless categorically excluded or covered by a previously prepared EA and/or EIS.

(b) The decision-maker may not take any approval action on such a proposal submitted by a project applicant until such time as the appropriate environmental review documents have been prepared and submitted to the decision-maker.

(c) At a minimum, and as part of any submission made by a project applicant to the decision-maker for its approval, such project applicant shall make available data and materials concerning the proposal sufficient to permit the Trust to carry out its environmental review responsibilities. When requested, the project applicant shall provide additional information that the NEPA Compliance Coordinator believes is necessary to permit it to satisfy its environmental review functions.

(d) With respect to each project proposed for consideration for which the NEPA Compliance Coordinator determines that an EA shall be prepared, the decision-maker may require a project applicant to submit a draft EA regarding its proposal for the Trust's evaluation and revision. In accordance with 40 CFR 1506.5(b), the Trust shall make its own evaluation of the environmental issues and shall take responsibility for the scope and content of the final EA.

(e) With respect to each project proposed for consideration for which the NEPA Compliance Coordinator determines an EIS shall be prepared, the decision-maker may require a project applicant to pay a non-refundable fee to the Trust sufficient to cover a portion or all of the Trust's anticipated costs associated with preparation and review of the EIS, including costs associated with review under other applicable laws. Such fee shall be paid to the Trust in full prior to commencement of the preparation of the EIS or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(f) In accordance with 40 CFR 1506.5(c), the EIS shall be prepared by the Trust and/or by contractors who are selected by the Trust and who certify that they have no financial or other interest in the outcome of the project, and the Trust shall independently evaluate the EIS prior to its approval and take responsibility for ensuring its adequacy. The EIS shall be prepared in accordance with 40 CFR part 1502.

(g) The NEPA Compliance Coordinator may set time limits for environmental review appropriate to each proposal, consistent with 40 CFR 1501.8 and 1506.10.

(h) The NEPA Compliance Coordinator shall at the earliest possible time ensure that the Trust commences its environmental review on a proposed project and shall provide the project applicant with any policies or information deemed appropriate in order to permit effective and timely review by the Trust of a proposal once it is submitted to the decision-maker for approval.