Department of Housing and Urban Development April 20, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This provides notice that the State of New York, as the ``Responsible Entity,'' as that term is defined by 24 CFR 58.2(a)(7)(i), intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will evaluate alternatives for increasing coastal and social resiliency along the Tottenville shoreline on the South Shore of Staten Island and help to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the quality of the human environment (``Proposed Actions''). The State of New York is the Grantee of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds appropriated by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (Pub. L. 113-2, approved January 29, 2013) related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 (Stafford Act) in calendar years 2011, 2012, and 2013. The Governor's Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) implements the State's obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through duly authorized Certifying Officers. GOSR was formed under the auspices of the New York State Homes and Community Renewal's Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC), a public benefit corporation and subsidiary of the New York State Housing Finance Agency. The EIS will satisfy the requirements of NEPA and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). This notice is in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58. Following a public scoping process, a Draft EIS will be prepared for the proposed actions described herein. Comments relating to the Draft Scope of Work for the EIS are requested and will be accepted by the contact person listed below. When the Draft EIS is completed, a notice will be sent to appropriate government agencies, individuals and groups known to have an interest in the Draft EIS and particularly in the environmental impact issues identified therein. Any person or agency interested in receiving notice and commenting on the Draft Scope of Work or Draft EIS should contact the person listed below no later than May 15, 2015. HUD has provided for assumption of its NEPA authority and responsibilities to New York State, as Responsible Entity, for the purposes of administering the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program in New York State. Comments: Comments relating to the Draft Scope of Work for the EIS are requested and will be accepted by the contact person listed below until May 15, 2015. Comments will also be accepted at the scoping meeting described below on April 30, 2015. All interested agencies, tribes, groups, and persons are invited to submit written comments on the projects named in this notice and on the Draft Scope of Work for the EIS to the contact person listed below. All comments received before May 15, 2015 will be considered prior to the preparation and distribution of the Draft EIS. Commenters are asked to submit any information-related reports or other environmental studies planned or completed in the project area, major issues that the EIS should consider, recommended mitigation measures, and alternatives associated with the Proposed Actions. Federal, State and City agencies having jurisdiction by law, special expertise, or other special interest should report their interest and indicate their readiness to aid in the EIS effort as a ``Cooperating Agency.'' The following federal agencies have thus far expressed roles as cooperating agencies under NEPA: The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA- NMFS), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

This notice updates, clarifies, and consolidates delegations of authority from the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development and the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

Section 7(d) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Act, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to delegate functions, powers and duties as the Secretary deems necessary. In this delegation of authority, the Secretary delegates authority to the Assistant Secretary for HousingFederal Housing Commissioner, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing, the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing and the Associate General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing, for the administration of certain Office of Housing programs. This delegation revokes and supersedes all prior delegations of authority, including the delegation published on June 20, 2012.