Purpose, Legal Authority, Federal Laws and Authorities

24 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart A
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

24 C.F.R. § 58.1 Purpose and applicability.

(a) Purpose. This part provides instructions and guidance to recipients of HUD assistance and other responsible entities for conducting an environmental review for a particular project or activity and for obtaining approval of a Request for Release of Funds. (b) Applicability. This part applies to activities and projects where specific statutory authority exists for recipients or other responsible entities to assume environmental responsibilities. Programs and activities subject to this part include: (1) Community Development Block Grant programs authorized by Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, in accordance with section 104(g) (42 U.S.C. 5304(g)); (2) [Reserved] (3)(i) Grants to states and units of general local government under the Emergency Shelter Grant Program, Supportive Housing Program (and its predecessors, the Supportive Housing Demonstration Program (both Transitional Housing and Permanent Housing for Homeless Persons with Disabilities) and Supplemental Assistance for Facilities to Assist the Homeless), Shelter Plus Care Program, Safe Havens for Homeless Individuals Demonstration Program, and Rural Homeless Housing Assistance, authorized by Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, in accordance with section 443 (42 U.S.C. 11402); (ii) Grants beginning with Fiscal Year 2001 to private non-profit organizations and housing agencies under the Supportive Housing Program and Shelter Plus Care Program authorized by Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, in accordance with section 443 (42 U.S.C. 11402); (4) The HOME Investment Partnerships Program authorized by Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (NAHA), in accordance with section 288 (42 U.S.C. 12838); (5) Grants to States and units of general local government for abatement of lead-based paint and lead dust hazards pursuant to Title II of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1992, and grants for lead-based paint hazard reduction under section 1011 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, in accordance with section 1011(o) (42 U.S.C. 4852(o)); (6)(i) Public Housing Programs under Title I of the United States Housing Act of 1937, including HOPE VI grants authorized under section 24 of the Act for Fiscal Year 2000 and later, in accordance with section 26 (42 U.S.C. 1437x); (ii) Grants for the revitalization of severely distressed public housing (HOPE VI) for Fiscal Year 1999 and prior years, in accordance with Title II of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-276, approved October 21, 1998); and (iii) Assistance administered by a public housing agency under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, except for assistance provided under part 886 of this title, in accordance with section 26 (42 U.S.C. 1437x); (7) Special Projects appropriated under an appropriation act for HUD, such as special projects under the heading “Annual Contributions for Assisted Housing” in Title II of various Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Acts, in accordance with section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 3547); (8) The FHA Multifamily Housing Finance Agency Pilot Program under section 542(c) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, in accordance with section 542(c)(9)(12 U.S.C. 1707 note); (9) The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program under section 11 of the Housing Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-120, 110 Stat. 834), in accordance with section 11(m)); (10) Assistance provided under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA), in accordance with: (i) Section 105 for Indian Housing Block Grants and Federal Guarantees or Financing for Tribal Housing Authorities (25 U.S.C. 4115 and 4226); and (ii) Section 806 for Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants (25 U.S.C. 4226); (11) Indian Housing Loan Guarantees authorized by section 184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, in accordance with section 184(k) (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13a(k)); and (12) Grants for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) under the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act, as follows: competitive grants beginning with Fiscal Year 2001 and all formula grants, in accordance with section 856(h) (42 U.S.C. 12905(h)); all grants for Fiscal Year 1999 and prior years, in accordance with section 207(c) of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-276, approved October 21, 1998). (c) When HUD assistance is used to help fund a revolving loan fund that is administered by a recipient or another party, the activities initially receiving assistance from the fund are subject to the requirements in this part. Future activities receiving assistance from the revolving loan fund, after the fund has received loan repayments, are subject to the environmental review requirements if the rules of the HUD program that initially provided assistance to the fund continue to treat the activities as subject to the Federal requirements. If the HUD program treats the activities as not being subject to any Federal requirements, then the activities cease to become Federally-funded activities and the provisions of this part do not apply. (d) To the extent permitted by applicable laws and the applicable regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development may, for good cause and with appropriate conditions, approve waivers and exceptions or establish criteria for exceptions from the requirements of this part.

24 C.F.R. § 58.2 Terms, abbreviations and definitions.

(a) For the purposes of this part, the following definitions supplement the uniform terminology provided in 40 CFR part 1508: (1) Activity means an action that a grantee or recipient puts forth as part of an assisted project, regardless of whether its cost is to be borne by the HUD assistance or is an eligible expense under the HUD assistance program. (2) Certifying Officer means the official who is authorized to execute the Request for Release of Funds and Certification and has the legal capacity to carry out the responsibilities of § 58.13. (3) Extraordinary Circumstances means a situation in which an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) is not normally required, but due to unusual conditions, an EA or EIS is appropriate. Indicators of unusual conditions are: (i) Actions that are unique or without precedent; (ii) Actions that are substantially similar to those that normally require an EIS; (iii) Actions that are likely to alter existing HUD policy or HUD mandates; or (iv) Actions that, due to unusual physical conditions on the site or in the vicinity, have the potential for a significant impact on the environment or in which the environment could have a significant impact on users of the facility. (4) Project means an activity, or a group of integrally related activities, designed by the recipient to accomplish, in whole or in part, a specific objective. (5) Recipient means any of the following entities, when they are eligible recipients or grantees under a program listed in § 58.1(b): (i) A State that does not distribute HUD assistance under the program to a unit of general local government; (ii) Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Palau; (iii) A unit of general local government; (iv) An Indian tribe; (v) With respect to Public Housing Programs under § 58.1(b)(6)(i), fiscal year 1999 and prior HOPE VI grants under § 58.1(b)(6)(ii) or Section 8 assistance under § 58.1(b)(6)(iii), a public housing agency; (vi) Any direct grantee of HUD for a special project under § 58.1(b)(7); (vii) With respect to the FHA Multifamily Housing Finance Agency Program under 58.1(b)(8), a qualified housing finance agency; (viii) With respect to the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program under § 58.1(b)(9), any direct grantee of HUD. (ix)(A) With respect to NAHASDA assistance under § 58.1(b)(10), the Indian tribe or the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and (B) With respect to the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee program under § 58.1(b)(11), the Indian tribe. (x) With respect to the Shelter Plus Care and Supportive Housing Programs under § 58.1(b)(3)(ii), nonprofit organizations and other entities. (6) Release of funds. In the case of the FHA Multifamily Housing Finance Agency Program under § 58.1(b)(8), Release of Funds, as used in this part, refers to HUD issuance of a firm approval letter, and Request for Release of Funds refers to a recipient's request for a firm approval letter. In the case of the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee program under § 58.1(b)(11), Release of Funds refers to HUD's issuance of a commitment to guarantee a loan, or if there is no commitment, HUD's issuance of a certificate of guarantee. (7) Responsible Entity. Responsible Entity means: (i) With respect to environmental responsibilities under programs listed in § 58.1(b)(1), (2), (3)(i), (4), and (5), a recipient under the program. (ii) With respect to environmental responsibilities under the programs listed in § 58.1(b)(3)(ii) and (6) through (12), a state, unit of general local government, Indian tribe or Alaska Native Village, or the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, when it is the recipient under the program. Under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.) listed in § 58.1(b)(10)(i), the Indian tribe is the responsible entity whether or not a Tribally Designated Housing Entity is authorized to receive grant amounts on behalf of the tribe. The Indian tribe is also the responsible entity under the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee program listed in § 58.1(b)(11). Regional Corporations in Alaska are considered Indian tribes in this part. Non-recipient responsible entities are designated as follows: (A) For qualified housing finance agencies, the State or a unit of general local government, Indian tribe or Alaska native village whose jurisdiction contains the project site; (B) For public housing agencies, the unit of general local government within which the project is located that exercises land use responsibility, or if HUD determines this infeasible, the county, or if HUD determines this infeasible, the State; (C) For non-profit organizations and other entities, the unit of general local government, Indian tribe or Alaska native village within which the project is located that exercises land use responsibility, or if HUD determines this infeasible, the county, or if HUD determines this infeasible, the State; (8) Unit Density refers to a change in the number of dwelling units. Where a threshold is identified as a percentage change in density that triggers review requirements, no distinction is made between an increase or a decrease in density. (9) Tiering means the evaluation of an action or an activity at various points in the development process as a proposal or event becomes ripe for an Environment Assessment or Review. (10) Vacant Building means a habitable structure that has been vacant for more than one year. (b) The following abbreviations are used throughout this part: (1) CDBG—Community Development Block Grant; (2) CEQ—Council on Environmental Quality; (3) EA—Environmental Assessment; (4) EIS—Environmental Impact Statement; (5) EPA—Environmental Protection Agency; (6) ERR—Environmental Review Record; (7) FONSI—Finding of No Significant Impact; (8) HUD—Department of Housing and Urban Development; (9) NAHA—Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990; (10) NEPA—National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended; (11) NOI/EIS—Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS; (12) NOI/RROF—Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds; (13) ROD—Record of Decision; (14) ROF—Release of Funds; and (15) RROF—Request for Release of Funds.

24 C.F.R. § 58.4 Assumption authority.

(a) Assumption authority for responsible entities: General. Responsible entities shall assume the responsibility for environmental review, decision-making, and action that would otherwise apply to HUD under NEPA and other provisions of law that further the purposes of NEPA, as specified in § 58.5. Responsible entities that receive assistance directly from HUD assume these responsibilities by execution of a grant agreement with HUD and/or a legally binding document such as the certification contained on HUD Form 7015.15, certifying to the assumption of environmental responsibilities. When a State distributes funds to a responsible entity, the State must provide for appropriate procedures by which these responsible entities will evidence their assumption of environmental responsibilities. (b) Particular responsibilities of the States. (1) States are recipients for purposes of directly undertaking a State project and must assume the environmental review responsibilities for the State's activities and those of any non-governmental entity that may participate in the project. In this case, the State must submit the certification and RROF to HUD for approval. (2) States must exercise HUD's responsibilities in accordance with § 58.18, with respect to approval of a unit of local government's environmental certification and RROF for a HUD assisted project funded through the state. Approval by the state of a unit of local government's certification and RROF satisfies the Secretary's responsibilities under NEPA and the related laws cited in § 58.5. (c) Particular responsibilities of Indian tribes. An Indian tribe may, but is not required to, assume responsibilities for environmental review, decision-making and action for programs authorized by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.) (other than title VIII) or section 184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-13a). The tribe must make a separate decision regarding assumption of responsibilities for each of these Acts and communicate that decision in writing to HUD. If the tribe assumes these responsibilities, the requirements of this part shall apply. If a tribe formally declines assumption of these responsibilities, they are retained by HUD and the provisions of part 50 of this title apply.

24 C.F.R. § 58.5 Related Federal laws and authorities.

In accordance with the provisions of law cited in § 58.1(b), the responsible entity must assume responsibilities for environmental review, decision-making and action that would apply to HUD under the following specified laws and authorities. The responsible entity must certify that it has complied with the requirements that would apply to HUD under these laws and authorities and must consider the criteria, standards, policies and regulations of these laws and authorities. (a) Historic properties. (1) The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), particularly sections 106 and 110 (16 U.S.C. 470 and 470h-2). (2) Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment, May 13, 1971 (36 FR 8921), 3 CFR 1971-1975 Comp., p. 559, particularly section 2(c). (3) Federal historic preservation regulations as follows: (i) 36 CFR part 800 with respect to HUD programs other than Urban Development Action Grants (UDAG); and (ii) 36 CFR part 801 with respect to UDAG. (4) The Reservoir Salvage Act of 1960 as amended by the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 469 et seq.), particularly section 3 (16 U.S.C. 469a-1). (b) Floodplain management and wetland protection. (1) Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, as amended by Executive Order 13690, February 4, 2015 (3 CFR, 2016 Comp., p. 268), as implemented in HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 55, particularly section 2(a) of Executive Order 11988, as amended. (2) Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands, May 24, 1977 (42 FR 26961), 3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 121, as interpreted in HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 55, particularly sections 2 and 5 of the order. (c) Coastal Zone Management. The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.), as amended, particularly section 307(c) and (d) (16 U.S.C. 1456(c) and (d)). (d) Sole source aquifers. (1) The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 201, 300(f) et seq., and 21 U.S.C. 349) as amended; particularly section 1424(e)(42 U.S.C. 300h-3(e)). (2) Sole Source Aquifers (Environmental Protection Agency—40 CFR part 149). (e) Endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) as amended, particularly section 7 (16 U.S.C. 1536). (f) Wild and scenic rivers. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) as amended, particularly section 7(b) and (c) (16 U.S.C. 1278(b) and (c)). (g) Air quality. (1) The Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et. seq.) as amended; particularly section 176(c) and (d) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c) and (d)). (2) Determining Conformity of Federal Actions to State or Federal Implementation Plans (Environmental Protection Agency—40 CFR parts 6, 51, and 93). (h) Farmlands protection. (1) Farmland Protection Policy Act of 1981 (7 U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) particularly sections 1540(b) and 1541 (7 U.S.C. 4201(b) and 4202). (2) Farmland Protection Policy (Department of Agriculture—7 CFR part 658). (i) HUD environmental standards. (1) Applicable criteria and standards specified in part 51 of this title, other than the runway clear zone notification requirement in § 51.303(a)(3). (2)(i) Also, it is HUD policy that all properties that are being proposed for use in HUD programs be free of hazardous materials, contamination, toxic chemicals and gases, and radioactive substances, where a hazard could affect the health and safety of occupants or conflict with the intended utilization of the property. (ii) The environmental review of multifamily housing with five or more dwelling units (including leasing), or non-residential property, must include the evaluation of previous uses of the site or other evidence of contamination on or near the site, to ensure that the occupants of proposed sites are not adversely affected by any of the hazards listed in paragraph (i)(2)(i) of this section. (iii) Particular attention should be given to any proposed site on or in the general proximity of such areas as dumps, landfills, industrial sites, or other locations that contain, or may have contained, hazardous wastes. (iv) The responsible entity shall use current techniques by qualified professionals to undertake investigations determined necessary. (j) Environmental justice. Executive Order 12898—Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, February 11, 1994 (59 FR 7629), 3 CFR, 1994 Comp. p. 859.

24 C.F.R. § 58.6 Other requirements.

In addition to the duties under the laws and authorities specified in § 58.5 for assumption by the responsible entity under the laws cited in § 58.1(b), the responsible entity must comply with the following requirements. Applicability of the following requirements does not trigger the certification and release of funds procedure under this part or preclude exemption of an activity under § 58.34(a)(12) and/or the applicability of § 58.35(b). However, the responsible entity remains responsible for addressing the following requirements in its ERR and meeting these requirements, where applicable, regardless of whether the activity is exempt under § 58.34 or categorically excluded under § 58.35(a) or (b). (a)(1) Under the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4128), Federal financial assistance for acquisition and construction purposes (including rehabilitation) may not be used in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as having special flood hazards, unless: (i) The community in which the area is situated is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (see 44 CFR parts 59 through 79), or less than one year has passed since the FEMA notification regarding such hazards; and (ii) Where the community is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, flood insurance protection is to be obtained as a condition of the approval of financial assistance to the property owner. (2) Where the community is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program and the recipient provides financial assistance for acquisition or construction purposes (including rehabilitation) for property located in an area identified by FEMA as having special flood hazards, the responsible entity is responsible for assuring that flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program is obtained and maintained. (3) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to Federal formula grants made to a State. (4) Flood insurance requirements cannot be fulfilled by self-insurance except as authorized by law for assistance to state-owned projects within states approved by the Federal Insurance Administrator consistent with 44 CFR 75.11. (b) Under section 582 of the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. 5154a, HUD disaster assistance that is made available in a special flood hazard area may not be used to make a payment (including any loan assistance payment) to a person for repair, replacement or restoration for flood damage to any personal, residential or commercial property if: (1) The person had previously received Federal flood disaster assistance conditioned on obtaining and maintaining flood insurance; and (2) The person failed to obtain and maintain flood insurance. (c) Pursuant to the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, as amended by the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 3501), HUD assistance may not be used for most activities proposed in the Coastal Barrier Resources System. (d) In all cases involving HUD assistance, subsidy, or insurance for the purchase or sale of an existing property in a Runway Clear Zone or Clear Zone, as defined in 24 CFR part 51, the responsible entity shall advise the buyer that the property is in a runway clear zone or clear zone, what the implications of such a location are, and that there is a possibility that the property may, at a later date, be acquired by the airport operator. The buyer must sign a statement acknowledging receipt of this information.

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