Detroit Field Office

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Detroit Field Office Office of Community Planning
and Development Patrick V. McNamara Federal
Bldg. 477 Michigan Ave. Room 1710 Detroit, MI
48226-2592 Tel. [phone] Fax [phone]



Detroit Skyline
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Environmental Requests for the Release of Funds
for Home and CDBG Projects
Presented by Carmen Reverón HUD Field
Environmental Officer for the State of Michigan
Lansing
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Request of Release of Funds
Purpose The purpose of HUDs review of the
Request of Release of Funds and Certification is
to assure that, in accordance with 24 CFR 58,
funds to be used for CDBG activities are not
release before the grantee has certified to HUD
that it has fully carried out the environmental
review and action, and published a notice of its
environmental determination.
Sleeping Bear Dunes
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Request of Release of Funds Environmental Check
List

• Complete project description
• Location/site information
• Photographs
• Funding Source
• Amount
• Location of proposed activity
• Description of proposed activity and
• Project Analysis.

Dow Gardens, Midland
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Federal Laws and Authorities

• National Environmental Policy Act
• Laws and Authorities listed at 24 CFR Part 50.4

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National Environmental Policy Act1969

• Requires - Federal Agencies to develop
  Environmental Regulation
• Establishes -Levels of Review
• Requires - Public Notification
• Created -
• Council on Environmental Quality

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HUDs Environmental Regulations

• 24 CFR Part 51 - Manmade Hazards
• Preamble
• Noise
• Explosives and Flammable
• Runway Clear Zones
• 24 CFR Part 52 - Intergovernmental
• 24 CFR Part 55 FP and Wet Lands
• 24 CFR Part 58 - Local Gov. Review

Bridalveil Falls, Rock National Lakeshore
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When is Part 58 Applicable?
Local Governments as Responsible Entities (RE)
MUST assume responsibility for grants made
directly to the local government when
legislation permits
Porcupine Mountains
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Therefore,the Recipient can be in charge of
planning a HUD-assisted program but does not have
the legal authority to conduct an environmental
review, for which the responsibility would likely
fall to the local or State government as RE
Lake Michigan Sunset
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Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
Jurisdictions and RE

• Entitlement Jurisdiction (decision-making and /or
  action for each activity)
• RE and Recipients
• Non-Entitlement Jurisdiction
• Recipients only
• Sub-recipients only

Sleeping Bear
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The authority to become a RE and make
environmental determinations may not be delegated
to units of local government (receive HUD funds
from state governments), non-governmental
entities such as sub-recipients, contractors,
owners and developers.
The Straights, Mackinac Island
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BLOCK GRANT DECISION MAKINGWHERE DOES THE
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS FIT IN?
GOALS OBJECTIVES NEPA case law
environmental regs regs indicate that
environmental review review should commence
here ACTIVITIES HUD APPROVAL OF
GRANT Most grantees commence environment
al review here (to their
detriment) RELEASE OF FUNDS
Mud Island, Ecorse
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CDBG ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS(24 CFR 58)

• Incorporates NEPA other applicable authorities
  (58.5) into an environmental planning process
• Part of decision making/ACTION
• Alternatives - choose best project
• Ensures compliance with NEPA other applicable
  authorities
• Public participation
• No project approval until environmental process
  complete

Wege Natural Trail at Frederick Meijer Gardens,
Grand Rapids
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Summary of Environmental Review Process

• Project or Project Aggregation
• Visit project site
• Project description
• Determine level of review required
• Environmental Review Record

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PROJECT CATEGORIZATION

• EIS (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT)
• Major federal action significantly affecting the
  environment
• Just document categorization
• Just document categorization
• Statutory checklist
• Document 58.6 (NFIP, Coastal, Clear Zone) no
  official form
• Full EA format
• Comprehensive (booklike) report (hire a
  consultant)

• EMERGENCY (58.33)
• Emergency, disaster or imminent threat
• EXEMPT (58.34)
• No Physical Impact but also see 58.35(b)
• (eg. Admin, planning)
• CATEGORICALLY EXCLUDED (58.35)
• a) Subject to 58.5 (statutory review)
• Generally continue existing use
• (e.g. Rehab)
• b) Not Subject to 58.5
• Similar to exempt (but could not make ex)
• ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
• New uses, construction, major rehab
• (Eg. Roads, utilities, new building)

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Environmental TrainingJune 22, 2007900 AM -
400 PMPresented by Carmen Reverón, Field
Environmental Officer,Detroit Field Office And
Steve Vahl, Regional Environmental Supervisor,
Region V (Chicago, IL)

• Who Public Housing and Economic agencies,
  Non-profit organizations receiving HUD funding
  and City representatives are strongly
  encouraged.
• Where McNamara Federal Building
• 477 Michigan Avenue Detroit, MI 48226
• Mezzanine Level
• Topics covered will include
• Basic Environmental Training/24 CFR 58
• Project Classification/ Environmental
  Determination
• Environmental Review Procedures ( Environmental
  Assessment Checklists Statutory Checklists)
• Releases of Funds

For more information, please contact Carmen
Reverón at [phone], ext 8194. The
training is free, but please register in advance
by faxing the registration form to [phone]
or emailing it to carmen_e._reveron_at_hud.gov,
cynthia_washington_at_hud.gov or rasheedah_c._dix_at_hu
d.gov