Title 32
SECTION 651.4
651.4 Responsibilities.
§ 651.4 Responsibilities.(a) The Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations and Environment) (ASA(I&E)). ASA(I&E) is designated by the Secretary of the Army (SA) as the Army's responsible official for NEPA policy, guidance, and oversight. In meeting these responsibilities, ASA(I&E) will:
(1) Maintain liaison with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Congressional oversight committees, and other federal, state, and local agencies on Army environmental policies.
(2) Review NEPA training at all levels of the Army, including curricula at Army, DOD, other service, other agency, and private institutions; and ensure adequacy of NEPA training of Army personnel at all levels.
(3) Establish an Army library for EAs and EISs, which will serve as:
(i) A means to ascertain adherence to the policies set forth in this part, as well as potential process improvements; and
(ii) A technical resource for proponents and preparers of NEPA documentation.
(b) The Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) (ASA(AL&T)). ASA(AL&T) will:
(1) Under oversight of the ASA(I&E), execute those NEPA policy provisions contained herein that pertain to the ASA(AL&T) responsibilities in the Army materiel development process, as described in Army Regulation (AR) 70-1, Army Acquisition Policy.
(2) Prepare policy for the Army Acquisition Executive (AAE) to develop and administer a process of review and approval of environmental analyses during the Army materiel development process.
(3) Prepare research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) and procurement budget justifications to support Materiel Developer (MATDEV) implementation of NEPA provisions.
(c) The Army Acquisition Executive (AEE). The AAE will, under the Army oversight responsibilities assigned to ASA(I&E):
(1) Administer a process to:
(i) Execute all those NEPA policy provisions contained herein that pertain to all acquisition category (ACAT) programs, projects, and products;
(ii) Ensure that Milestone Decision Authorities (MDAs), at all levels, assess the effectiveness of environmental analysis in all phases of the system acquisition process, including legal review of these requirements;
(iii) Establish resource requirements and program, plan, and budget exhibits for inclusion in annual budget decisions;
(iv) Review and approve NEPA documentation at appropriate times during materiel development, in conjunction with acquisition phases and milestone reviews as established in the Acquisition Strategy; and
(v) Establish NEPA responsibility and awareness training requirements for Army Acquisition Corps personnel.
(2) Ensure Program Executive Officers (PEOs), Deputies for Systems Acquisition (DSAs), and direct-reporting Program Managers (PMs) will:
(i) Supervise assigned programs, projects, and products to ensure that each environmental analysis addresses all applicable environmental laws, executive orders, and regulations.
(ii) Ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into system acquisition plans/strategies, Test and Evaluation Master Plans (TEMPs) and Materiel Fielding Plans, Demilitarization/Disposal Plans, system engineering reviews/Integrated Process Team (IPT) processes, and Overarching Integrated Process Team (OIPT) milestone review processes.
(iii) Coordinate environmental analysis with appropriate organizations to include environmental offices such as Army Acquisition Pollution Prevention Support Office (AAPPSO) and U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC) and operational offices and organizations such as testers (developmental/operational), producers, users, and disposal offices.
(3) Ensure Program, Project, Product Managers, and other MATDEVs will:
(i) Initiate the environmental analysis process prescribed herein upon receiving the project office charter to commence the materiel development process, and designate a NEPA point of contact (POC) to the Director of Environmental Programs (DEP).
(ii) Integrate the system's environmental analysis (including NEPA) into the system acquisition strategy, milestone review planning, system engineering, and preliminary design, critical design, and production readiness reviews.
(iii) Apply policies and procedures set forth in this part to programs and actions within their organizational and staff responsibility.
(iv) Coordinate with installation managers and incorporate comments and positions of others (such as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM) and environmental offices of the development or operational testers, producers, users, and disposers) into the decision-making process.
(v) Initiate the analysis of environmental considerations, assess the environmental consequences of proposed programs and projects, and undergo environmental analysis, as appropriate.
(vi) Maintain the administrative record of the program's environmental analysis in accordance with this part.
(vii) Coordinate with local citizens and other affected parties, and incorporate appropriate comments into NEPA analyses.
(viii) Coordinate with ASA(I&E) when NEPA analyses for actions under AAE purview require publication in the Federal Register (FR).
(d) The Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans (DCSOPS). DCSOPS is the proponent for Training and Operations activities. DCSOPS will ensure that Major Army Commands (MACOMs) support and/or perform, as appropriate, NEPA analysis of fielding issues related to specific local or regional concerns when reviewing Materiel Fielding Plans prepared by Combat Developers (CBTDEVs) or MATDEVs. This duty will include the coordination of CBTDEV and MATDEV information with appropriate MACOMs and Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics (DCSLOG).
(e) The Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM). ACSIM is responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating NEPA activities within the Army. The Environmental Programs Directorate is the Army Staff (ARSTAF) POC for environmental matters and serves as the Army staff advocate for the Army NEPA requirements contained in this part. The ACSIM will:
(1) Encourage environmental responsibility and awareness among Army personnel to most effectively implement the spirit of NEPA.
(2) Establish and maintain the capability (personnel and other resources) to comply with the requirements of this part. This responsibility includes the provision of an adequately trained and educated staff to ensure adherence to the policies and procedures specified by this part.
(f) The Director of Environmental Programs. The director, with support of the U.S. Army Environmental Center, and under the ACSIM, will:
(1) Advise Army agencies in the preparation of NEPA analyses, upon request.
(2) Review, as requested, NEPA analyses submitted by the Army, other DOD components, and other federal agencies.
(3) Monitor proposed Army policy and program documents that have environmental implications to determine compliance with NEPA requirements and ensure integration of environmental considerations into decision-making and adaptive management processes.
(4) Propose and develop Army NEPA guidance pursuant to policies formulated by ASA(I&E).
(5) Advise project proponents regarding support and defense of Army NEPA requirements through the budgeting process.
(6) Provide NEPA process oversight, in support of ASA(I&E), and, as appropriate, technical review of NEPA documentation.
(7) Oversee proponent implementation and execution of NEPA requirements, and develop and execute programs and initiatives to address problem areas.
(8) Assist the ASA(I&E) in the evaluation of formal requests for the delegation of NEPA responsibilities on a case-by-case basis. This assistance will include:
(i) Determination of technical sufficiency of the description of proposed action and alternatives (DOPAA) when submitted as part of the formal delegation request (§ 651.7).
(ii) Coordination of the action with the MACOM requesting the delegation.
(9) Periodically provide ASA(I&E) with a summary analysis and recommendations on needed improvements in policy and guidance to Army activities concerning NEPA implementation, in support of ASA(I&E) oversight responsibilities.
(10) Advise headquarters proponents on how to secure funding and develop programmatic NEPA analyses to address actions that are Army-wide, where a programmatic approach would be appropriate to address the action.
(11) Designate a NEPA PM to coordinate the Army NEPA program and notify ASA(I&E) of the designation.
(12) Maintain manuals and guidance for NEPA analyses for major Army programs in hard copy and make this guidance available on the World Wide Web (WWW) and other electronic means.
(13) Maintain a record of NEPA POCs in the Army, as provided by the MACOMs and other Army agencies.
(14) Forward electronic copies of all EAs, and EISs to AEC to ensure inclusion in the Army NEPA library; and ensure those same documents are forwarded to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).
(g) Heads of Headquarters, Army agencies. The heads of headquarters, Army agencies will:
(1) Apply policies and procedures herein to programs and actions within their staff responsibility except for state-funded operations of the Army National Guard (ARNG).
(2) Task the appropriate component with preparation of NEPA analyses and documentation.
(3) Initiate the preparation of necessary NEPA analyses, assess proposed programs and projects to determine their environmental consequences, and initiate NEPA documentation for circulation and review along with other planning or decision-making documents. These other documents include, as appropriate, completed DD Form 1391 (Military Construction Project Data), Case Study and Justification Folders, Acquisition Strategies, and other documents proposing or supporting proposed programs or projects.
(4) Coordinate appropriate NEPA analyses with ARSTAF agencies.
(5) Designate, record, and report to the DEP the identity of the agency's single POC for NEPA considerations.
(6) Assist in the review of NEPA documentation prepared by DOD and other Army or federal agencies, as requested.
(7) Coordinate proposed directives, instructions, regulations, and major policy publications that have environmental implications with the DEP.
(8) Maintain the capability (personnel and other resources) to comply with the requirements of this part and include provisions for NEPA requirements through the Program Planning and Budget Execution System (PPBES) process.
(h) The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management (ASA(FM)). ASA(FM) will establish procedures to ensure that NEPA requirements are supported in annual authorization requests.
(i) The Judge Advocate General (TJAG). TJAG will provide legal advice to the Army Staff and assistance in NEPA interpretation, federal implementing regulations, and other applicable legal authority; determine the legal sufficiency for Army NEPA documentation; and interface with the Army General Counsel (GC) and the Department of Justice on NEPA-related litigation.
(j) The Army General Counsel. The Army General Counsel will provide legal advice to the Secretary of the Army on all environmental matters, to include interpretation and compliance with NEPA and federal implementing regulations and other applicable legal authority.
(k) The Surgeon General. The Surgeon General will provide technical expertise and guidance to NEPA proponents in the Army, as requested, in order to assess public health, industrial hygiene, and other health aspects of proposed programs and projects.
(l) The Chief, Public Affairs. The Chief, Public Affairs will:
(1) Provide guidance on issuing public announcements such as Findings of No Significant Impact (FNSIs), Notices of Intent (NOIs), scoping procedures, Notices of Availability (NOAs), and other public involvement activities; and establish Army procedures for issuing/announcing releases in the FR.
(2) Review and coordinate planned announcements on actions of national interest with appropriate ARSTAF elements and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (OASD(PA)).
(3) Assist in the issuance of appropriate press releases to coincide with the publication of notices in the FR.
(4) Provide assistance to MACOM and installation Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) regarding the development and release of public involvement materials.
(m) The Chief of Legislative Liaison. The Chief of Legislative Liaison will notify Members of Congress of impending proposed actions of national concern or interest. The Chief will:
(1) Provide guidance to proponents at all levels on issuing Congressional notifications on actions of national concern or interest.
(2) Review planned congressional notifications on actions of national concern or interest.
(3) Prior to (and in concert with) the issuance of press releases and publications in the FR, assist in the issuance of congressional notifications on actions of national concern or interest.
(n) Commanders of MACOMs, the Director of the Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve Commander. Commanders of MACOMs, the Director of the Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve Commander will:
(1) Monitor proposed actions and programs within their commands to ensure compliance with this part, including mitigation monitoring, utilizing Environmental Compliance Assessment System (ECAS), Installation Status Report (ISR), or other mechanisms.
(2) Task the proponent of the proposed action with funding and preparation of NEPA documentation and involvement of the public.
(3) Ensure that any proponent at the MACOM level initiates the required environmental analysis early in the planning process, plans the preparation of necessary NEPA documentation, and uses the analysis to aid in the final decision.
(4) Assist in the review of NEPA documentation prepared by DOD and other Army or federal agencies, as requested.
(5) Maintain official record copies of all NEPA documentation for which they are the proponent, and file electronic copies of those EAs, and final EISs with AEC.
(6) Provide coordination with Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) for proposed actions that have either significant impacts requiring an EIS or are of national interest. This process will require defining the purpose and need for the action, alternatives to be considered, and other information, as requested by HQDA. It also must occur early in the process and prior to an irretrievable commitment of resources that will prejudice the ultimate decision or selection of alternatives (40 CFR 1506.1). When delegated signature authority by HQDA, this process also includes the responsibility for complying with this part and associated Army environmental policy.
(7) Approve and forward NEPA documentation, as appropriate, for actions under their purview.
(8) In the case of the Director, ARNG, or his designee, approve all federal NEPA documentation prepared by all ARNG activities.
(9) Ensure environmental information received from MATDEVs is provided to appropriate field sites to support site-specific environmental analysis and NEPA requirements.
(10) Designate a NEPA PM to coordinate the MACOM NEPA program and maintain quality control of NEPA analyses and documentation that are processed through the command.
(11) Budget for resources to maintain oversight of NEPA and this part.
(o) Installation Commanders; Commanders of U.S. Army Reserve Support Commands; and The Adjutant Generals of the Army National Guard. Installation Commanders; Commanders of U.S. Army Reserve Support Commands; and The Adjutant Generals of the Army National Guard will:
(1) Establish an installation (command organization) NEPA program and evaluate its performance through the Environmental Quality Control Committee (EQCC) as required by AR 200-1, Environmental Protection and Enhancement.
(2) Designate a NEPA POC to coordinate and manage the installation's (command organization's) NEPA program, integrating it into all activities and programs at the installation. The installation commander will notify the MACOM of the designation.
(3) Establish a process that ensures coordination with the MACOM, other installation staff elements (to include PAOs and tenants) and others to incorporate NEPA requirements early in the planning of projects and activities.
(4) Ensure that actions subject to NEPA are coordinated with appropriate installation organizations responsible for such activities as master planning, natural and cultural resources management, or other installation activities and programs.
(5) Ensure that funding for environmental analysis is prioritized and planned, or otherwise arranged by the proponent, and that preparation of NEPA analyses, including the involvement of the public, is consistent with the requirements of this part.
(6) Approve NEPA analyses for actions under their purview. The Adjutant General will review and endorse documents and forward to the NGB for final approval.
(7) Ensure the proponent initiates the NEPA analysis of environmental consequences and assesses the environmental consequences of proposed programs and projects early in the planning process.
(8) Assist in the review of NEPA analyses affecting the installation or activity, and those prepared by DOD and other Army or federal agencies, as requested.
(9) Provide information through the chain of command on proposed actions of national interest to higher headquarters prior to initiation of NEPA documentation.
(10) Maintain official record copies of all NEPA documentation for which they are the proponent and forward electronic copies of those final EISs and EAs through the MACOM to AEC.
(11) Ensure that the installation proponents initiate required environmental analyses early in the planning process and plan the preparation of necessary NEPA documentation.
(12) Ensure NEPA awareness and/or training is provided for professional staff, installation-level proponents, and document reviewers (for example, master planning, range control, etc.).
(13) Solicit support from MACOMs, CBTDEVs, and MATDEVs, as appropriate, in preparing site-specific environmental analysis.
(14) Ensure that local citizens are aware of and, where appropriate, involved in NEPA analyses, and that public comments are obtained and considered in decisions regarding proposals.
(15) Use environmental impact analyses to determine the best alternatives from an environmental perspective, and to ensure that these determinations are part of the Army decision process.
(p) Environmental Officers. Environmental officers (at the Installation, MACOM, and Army activity level) shall, under the authority of the Installation Commander; Commanders of U.S. Army Reserves Regional Support Commands; and Director NGB-ARE (Installation Commanders):
(1) Represent the Installation, MACOM, or activity Commander on NEPA matters.
(2) Advise the proponent on the selection, preparation, and completion of NEPA analyses and documentation. This approach will include oversight on behalf of the proponent to ensure adequacy and support for the proposed action, including mitigation monitoring.
(3) Develop and publish local guidance and procedures for use by NEPA proponents to ensure that NEPA documentation is procedurally and technically correct. (This includes approval of Records of Environmental Consideration (RECs).)
(4) Identify any additional environmental information needed to support informed Army decision-making.
(5) Budget for resources to maintain oversight with NEPA and this part.
(6) Assist proponents, as necessary, to identify issues, impacts, and possible alternatives and/or mitigations relevant to specific proposed actions.
(7) Assist, as required, in monitoring to ensure that specified mitigation measures in NEPA analyses are accomplished. This monitoring includes assessing the effectiveness of the mitigations.
(8) Ensure completion of agency and community coordination.
(q) Proponents. Proponents at all levels will:
(1) Identify the proposed action, the purpose and need, and reasonable alternatives for accomplishing the action.
(2) Fund and prepare NEPA analyses and documentation for their proposed actions. This responsibility will include negotiation for matrix support and services outside the chain of command when additional expertise is needed to prepare, review, or otherwise support the development and approval of NEPA analyses and documentation. These NEPA costs may be borne by successful contract offerors.
(3) Ensure accuracy and adequacy of NEPA analyses, regardless of the author. This work includes incorporation of comments from appropriate servicing Army environmental and legal staffs.
(4) Ensure adequate opportunities for public review and comment on proposed NEPA actions, in accordance with applicable laws and EOs as discussed in § 651.14 (e). This step includes the incorporation of public and agency input into the decision-making process.
(5) Ensure that NEPA analysis is prepared and staffed sufficiently to comply with the intent and requirements of federal laws and Army policy. These documents will provide enough information to ensure that Army decision makers (at all levels) are informed in the performance of their duties (40 CFR 1501.2, 1505.1). This result requires coordination and resolution of important issues developed during the environmental analysis process, especially when the proposed action may involve significant environmental impacts, and includes the incorporation of comments from an affected installation's environmental office in recommendations made to decision makers.
(6) Adequately fund and implement the decision including all mitigation actions and effectiveness monitoring.
(7) Prepare and maintain the official record copy of all NEPA analyses and documentation for which they are the proponent. This step will include the provision of electronic copies of all EAs, final EISs, and Records of Decision (RODs), through their chain of command, to AEC, and forwarding of those same documents to the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) as part of their public distribution procedures. In addition, copies of all EAs and FNSIs (in electronic copy) will be provided to ODEP. A copy of the documentation should be maintained for six years after signature of the FNSI/ROD.
(8) Maintain the administrative record for the environmental analysis performed. The administrative record shall be retained by the proponent for a period of six years after completion of the action, unless the action is controversial or of a nature that warrants keeping it longer. The administrative record includes all documents and information used to make the decision. This administrative record should contain, but is not limited to, the following types of records:
(i) Technical information used to develop the description of the proposed action, purpose and need, and the range of alternatives.
(ii) Studies and inventories of affected environmental baselines.
(iii) Correspondence with regulatory agencies.
(iv) Correspondence with, and comments from, private citizens, Native American tribes, Alaskan Natives, local governments, and other individuals and agencies contacted during public involvement.
(v) Maps used in baseline studies.
(vi) Maps and graphics prepared for use in the analysis.
(vii) Affidavits of publications and transcripts of any public participation.
(viii) Other written records that document the preparation of the NEPA analysis.
(ix) An index or table of contents for the administrative record.
(9) Identify other requirements that can be integrated and coordinated within the NEPA process. After doing so, the proponent should establish a strategy for concurrent, not sequential, compliance; sharing similar data, studies, and analyses; and consolidating opportunities for public participation. Examples of relevant statutory and regulatory processes are given in § 651.14 (e).
(10) Identify and coordinate with public agencies, private organizations, and individuals that may have an interest in or jurisdiction over a resource that might be impacted. Coordination should be accomplished in cooperation with the Installation Environmental Offices in order to maintain contact and continuity with the regulatory and environmental communities. Applicable agencies include, but are not limited to:
(i) State Historic Preservation Officer.
(ii) Tribal Historic Preservation Officer.
(iii) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
(iv) Regional offices of the EPA.
(v) State agencies charged with protection of the environment, natural resources, and fish and wildlife.
(vi) USACE Civil Works regulatory functions, including Clean Water Act, Section 404, permitting and wetland protection.
(vii) National Marine Fisheries Service.
(viii) Local agencies and/or governing bodies.
(ix) Environmental interest groups.
(x) Minority, low-income, and disabled populations.
(xi) Tribal governments.
(xii) Existing advisory groups (for example, Restoration Advisory Boards, Citizens Advisory Commissions, etc.).
(11) Identify and coordinate, in concert with environmental offices, proposed actions and supporting environmental analyses with local and/or regional ecosystem management initiatives such as the Mojave Desert Ecosystem Management Initiative or the Chesapeake Bay Initiative.
(12) Review Army policies, including AR 200-1 (Environmental Protection and Enhancement), AR 200-3 (Natural Resources - Land, Forest, and Wildlife Management), and AR 200-4 (Cultural Resources Management) to ensure that the proposed action is coordinated with appropriate resource managers, operators, and planners, and is consistent with existing Army plans and their supporting NEPA analyses.
(13) Identify potential impacts to (and consult with as appropriate) American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Native Hawaiian lands, resources, or cultures (for example, sacred sites, traditional cultural properties, treaty rights, subsistence hunting or fishing rights, or cultural items subject to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)). All consultation shall be conducted on a Government-to-Government basis in accordance with the Presidential Memorandum on Government-to-Government Relations with Tribal Governments (April 29, 1994) (3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p. 1007) and AR 200-4 (Cultural Resources Management). Proponents shall consider, as appropriate, executing Memoranda of Agreements (MOAs) with interested Native American groups and tribes to facilitate timely and effective participation in the NEPA process. These agreements should be accomplished in cooperation with Installation Environmental Offices in order to maintain contact and continuity with the regulatory and environmental communities.
(14) Review NEPA documentation that relies upon mitigations that were not accomplished to determine if the NEPA analysis needs to be rewritten or updated. Such an update is required if the unaccomplished mitigation was used to support a FNSI. Additional public notice/involvement must accompany any rewrites.
(r) The Commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). The Commander, TRADOC will:
(1) Ensure that NEPA requirements are understood and options incorporated in the Officer Foundation Standards (OFS).
(2) Integrate environmental considerations into doctrine, training, leader development, organization, materiel, and soldier (DTLOMS) processes.
(3) Include environmental expert representation on all Integrated Concept Teams (ICTs) involved in requirements determinations.
(4) Ensure that TRADOC CBTDEVs retain and transfer any environmental analysis or related data (such as alternatives analysis) to the MATDEV upon approval of a materiel need. This information and data will serve as the basis for the MATDEV's Acquisition Strategy and subsequent NEPA analyses.
(5) Ensure that environmental considerations are incorporated into the Mission Needs Statements (MNSs) and Operational Requirements Documents (ORDs).