EnvironmentalNarrativeRequirements-Economic.docVIP

Environmental Narrative Requirements The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with proposed federal actions, including financial assistance. Applicants are encouraged to contact their designated Economic Development Representative or the applicable EDA Regional Environmental Officer with questions (please see the EDA website or the applicable Federal Funding Opportunity for contact information) regarding this template and/or the appropriate level of documentation. Resources of available information are listed in many of the sections. If you are using a locally saved copy of this template, please check EDA’s website to confirm this is the current version. For further information regarding EDA’s obligations under NEPA, please refer to the regulations for implementing NEPA at 40 C.F.R. 1500-1508. The Council on Environmental Quality’s 2007 guidance document “A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA is another resource available online. Several issues discussed in the environmental narrative below may require consultation with other State or Federal agencies at a later date (for example, the State Historic Preservation Office or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). While EDA does not require that applicants complete such consultations before submitting an initial application, applicants should be aware that in the event their project is selected for further evaluation for funding, EDA may delegate these consultations to the applicant and expect them to be completed in an expeditious manner and prior to approval of an award. Applicants must provide information on the following items in the environmental narrative. For any area in which the applicant asserts that an item is not applicable to a project, provide an explanation. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Beneficiaries Identify any existing businesses or major developments that will benefit from the proposed project, and those that will expand or lo