80 FR 25322 - National Environmental Policy Act: Implementing Procedures; Revision to Categorical Exclusions for U.S. Geological Survey (516 DM 9)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 85 (May 4, 2015)

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the Department of the Interior (the Department) is revising two existing categorical exclusions included in the Department of the Interior's Departmental Manual 516 DM 9. The revisions to the categorical exclusions pertain to two types of activities conducted by the USGS: The excavation of trenches across potentially active faults to assess the history of earthquakes along those faults; and the removal of hydrologic and water-quality monitoring structures and equipment and restoration of the sites. USGS experience with these activities indicates that they do not normally have the potential for significant environmental impacts in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The intent of the revisions is to improve the efficiency of the environmental review process.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 85 (Monday, May 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25322-25323]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10242]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[GX15AE3800C2000]


National Environmental Policy Act: Implementing Procedures; 
Revision to Categorical Exclusions for U.S. Geological Survey (516 DM 
9)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Final National Environmental Policy Act implementing 
procedures.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations 
implementing NEPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the Department 
of the Interior (the Department) is revising two existing categorical 
exclusions included in the Department of the Interior's Departmental 
Manual 516 DM 9. The revisions to the categorical exclusions pertain to 
two types of activities conducted by the USGS: The excavation of 
trenches across potentially active faults to assess the history of 
earthquakes along those faults; and the removal of hydrologic and 
water-quality monitoring structures and equipment and restoration of 
the sites. USGS experience with these activities indicates that they do 
not normally have the potential for significant environmental impacts 
in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The intent of the 
revisions is to improve the efficiency of the environmental review 
process.

DATES: Effective Date: The categorical exclusions are effective 
immediately.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the revised categorical exclusions 
contact Esther Eng, Chief, Environmental Management Branch--USGS, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Esther Eng, Chief, Environmental 
Management Branch--USGS, (703) 648-7550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal 
agencies to consider the potential environmental consequences of their 
decisions before deciding whether and how to proceed. The Council on 
Environmental Quality encourages Federal agencies to use categorical 
exclusions to protect the environment more efficiently by (a) reducing 
the resources spent analyzing proposals that normally do not have the 
potential to significantly impact the environment and, (b) focusing 
resources on proposals that may have significant environmental impacts. 
The appropriate use of categorical exclusions allows the NEPA review to 
conclude without preparing either an environmental assessment (EA) or 
an environmental impact statement (EIS) (40 CFR 1500.4(p) and 40 CFR 
1508.4) in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The Department's 
list of extraordinary circumstances under which a normally excluded 
action would require further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS 
is found at 43 CFR 46.215.

[[Page 25323]]

Categorical Exclusion Revision for Trenching

    The USGS excavates trenches across potentially active faults to 
assess the history of earthquakes along those faults. The study of 
ancient earthquakes and their rates of occurrence is known as 
paleoseismology. Paleoseismic data obtained from trenching studies is a 
fundamental input for USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps. The USGS 
National Seismic Hazard Maps are used to inform emergency response and 
to guide building codes. The revision of this categorical exclusion 
will allow for a more efficient NEPA review.
    Public comments were solicited through a notice placed in the 
Federal Register on August 22, 2014 (79 FR 49799). The proposed 
language for the categorical exclusion in the notice was as follows: 
``Digging and subsequent site restoration of exploratory trenches not 
to exceed one acre of surface disturbance.''

Categorical Exclusion for Water Monitoring Equipment

    One of the seven science mission areas of the USGS, the Water 
Mission Area, is tasked with collecting and disseminating reliable, 
impartial, and timely information that is needed to understand the 
Nation's water resources. The Water Mission Area actively promotes the 
use of this information by decision makers to: (1) Minimize loss of 
life and property as a result of water-related natural hazards, such as 
floods, droughts, and land movement; (2) effectively manage groundwater 
and surface-water resources for domestic, agricultural, commercial, 
industrial, recreational, and ecological uses; (3) protect and enhance 
water resources for human health, aquatic health, and environmental 
quality; and (4) contribute to the wise physical and economic 
development of the Nation's resources for the benefit of present and 
future generations. To achieve this science mission, the USGS 
constructs and operates a variety of hydrologic and water-quality 
monitoring structures and equipment at streams, rivers, springs, 
wellheads, and other sites across the Nation. After these structures 
are no longer needed for scientific data collection, they are removed 
and the site is restored. The revision of this categorical exclusion 
will allow for a more efficient NEPA review.
    Public comments were solicited through the same notice placed in 
the Federal Register on August 22, 2014 (79 FR 49799). The proposed 
language for the categorical exclusion as set out in the notice was as 
follows: ``Operation, construction, installation, and removal--
including restoration of sites to the pre-structure condition or 
equivalent of the surrounding environment--of hydrologic and water-
quality monitoring structures and equipment including but not limited 
to weirs, cableways, streamgaging stations, groundwater wells, and 
meteorologic structures.''

Public Comments

    No public comments were received.

Categorical Exclusion

    The Department of the Interior will add the following categorical 
exclusions to the Departmental Manual at 516 DM 9, section 9.5 
Categorical Exclusions:
    E. Operation, construction, installation, and removal--including 
restoration of sites to the pre-structure condition or equivalent of 
the surrounding environment--of hydrologic and water-quality monitoring 
structures and equipment including but not limited to weirs, cableways, 
streamgaging stations, groundwater wells, and meteorologic structures; 
and
    I. Digging and subsequent site restoration of exploratory trenches 
not to exceed one acre of surface disturbance.

Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-10242 Filed 5-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-AM-P