44 CFR 9.12 - Final public notice.

If the Agency decides to take an action in or affecting a floodplain or wetland, it shall provide the public with a statement of its final decision and shall explain the relevant factors considered by the Agency in making this determination.

(a) In addition, those sent notices under § 9.8 shall also be provided the final notice.

(b) For actions for which an environmental impact statement is being prepared, the FEIS is adequate to constitute final notice in all cases except where:

(1) Significant modifications are made in the FEIS after its initial publication;

(2) Significant modifications are made in the development plan for the proposed action; or

(3) Significant new information becomes available in the interim between issuance of the FEIS and implementation of the proposed action.

(c) For actions for which an environmental assessment was prepared, the Notice of No Significant Impact is adequate to constitute final public notice, if it includes the information required under paragraph (e) of this section.

(d) For all other actions, the finding shall be made in a document separate from those described in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section. Based on an assessment of the following factors, the requirement for final notice may be met in a cumulative manner:

(1) Scale of the action;

(2) Potential for controversy;

(3) Degree of public need;

(4) Number of affected agencies and individuals;

(5) Its anticipated potential impact; and

(6) Similarity of the actions, i.e., to the extent that they are susceptible of common descriptions and assessments.

(e) The final notice shall include the following:

(1) A statement of why the proposed action must be located in an area affecting or affected by a floodplain or a wetland;

(2) A description of all significant facts considered in making this determination;

(3) A list of the alternatives considered;

(4) A statement indicating whether the action conforms to applicable state and local floodplain protection standards;

(5) A statement indicating how the action affects or is affected by the floodplain and/or wetland, and how mitigation is to be achieved;

(6) Identification of the responsible official or organization for implementation and monitoring of the proposed action, and from whom further information can be obtained; and

(7) A map of the area or a statement that such map is available for public inspection, including the location at which such map may be inspected and a telephone number to call for information.

(f) After providing the final notice, the Agency shall, without good cause shown, wait at least 15 days before carrying out the action.