?NOTICE OF FINDING OF
NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
NOTICE AND
NOTICE OF INTENT TO
REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS FOR TIERED
PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS
STATEWIDE FEDERAL
ASSISTANCE FOR
HOMEOWNER RECOVERY
PROGRAMS – SOUTHWEST
REGION OF LOUISIANA
Patrick Forbes, Executive Director
Louisiana Division of
Administration
Office of Community Development (“LA OCD”)
617 N. Third Street, 6th Floor
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 219-9600
Notice Issued: Publishing by February 18, 2022. These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the LA OCD.
REQUEST FOR
RELEASE OF FUNDS
On or after March 8, 2022 the LA OCD will submit a request to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of funds approved September 2021, appropriated as part of the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law No: 117-43,); published February 3, 2022 in Federal Register Docket No. FR-6303-N-01; to undertake programs known as Statewide Federal Assistance for Homeowner Recovery for the purpose of minor and major rehabilitation, reconstruction, buyouts/demolition to greenspace, relocation and new construction of single-family residences, duplexes, one-to-four unit structures, mobile homes, and resilient manufactured (modular) housing units. The request at this time is for funding limited to certain parishes; however, environmental review was completed covering activities with potential for all 64 parishes in the event of allocations forthcoming. This review request covers improvements of residential properties, specific address not yet identified, within the target area of the Southwest Region of Louisiana (Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Rapides and Vernon Parishes). The Tier 1 review has been prepared in accordance with the Environmental Assessment level of review per 24 CFR Part 58.36. Tier 2 site-specific reviews will cover the laws and authorities not addressed in the Tier 1 broad review including: airport hazards, flood insurance, contamination and toxic substances, historic preservation, wild and scenic rivers and noise abatement. For each of the laws and authorities listed in the Tier 2 site-specific review, issues will be addressed, and mitigation measures, conditions or permits required will be implemented. The estimated total amount of HUD funding requested for this activity is $137,506,382; proposed activity funding will also include previously released CDBG-MIT funds. Any non-HUD funded activities would be funded by private applicants/property owners and are unknown.
FINDING OF NO
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
The LA OCD has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the LA OCD Office at 617 N. Third Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and may be examined or copied weekdays between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you would like to request an electronic copy, please submit your request to Tina.Cantrell@la.gov.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR via email to the LA OCD at Tina.Cantrell@la.gov. All comments received by March 7, 2022 will be considered by this office prior to the authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. All comments should specify which part of this notice they are addressing.
ENVIRONMENTAL
CERTIFICATION
LA OCD certifies to HUD that Patrick Forbes, in his capacity as Executive Director, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the LA OCD to use Program Funds.
OBJECTIONS TO
RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and to the LA OCD’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request, whichever is later, only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer or other officer of LA OCD approved by HUD; (b) LA OCD has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the project have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted via email in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to DRSI, Division Director, Dep. of Housing and Urban Development at Disaster_Recovery@hud.gov. Potential objectors should contact HUD via email (Disaster_Recovery@hud.gov) to verify the actual last day of the objection period.
Patrick Forbes, Executive Director
LA Office of Community Development
RUN: Feb. 10 (F 36)