environmental evaluation
The term environmental evaluation means agency appraisal of the potential or likely environmental impacts of proposed legislation, a new program, a major change in a program, an action related to a program or an action related to part of a program which will be used by the responsible agency official to determine whether or not an environmental assessment and/or an environmental impact statement is needed. Such appraisal shall relate to the same environmental concerns as an environmental impact statement. The environmental evaluation shall particularly focus on the adverse affects of FSA actions on the environmental factors listed on Form FSA-929 (see Appendix 2) and on the significance of the action as discussed in the CEQ regulations concerning NEPA at 40 CFR 1508.27. As required, the environmental evaluation shall be made by an interdisciplinary team.