Section 1- Environmental Reviews
An environmental review is the process of reviewing a project and its potential environmental impacts to determine whether it meets federal, state, and local environmental standards.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires all Federal agencies to perform an Environmental Review prior to approving or funding any project or action.
Environmental Reviews are required for all projects receiving HUD financial assistance
The review must be conducted after the project is conditionally selected by HUD and prior to execution of the grant agreement.
Environmental Review requirements kick in after an application for HUD funds has been submitted but MUST be conducted BEFORE funds are committed
Neither the direct recipient of HUD funds nor their contractors may spend or commit HUD funds until environmental review is complete (24 CFR 58.22)
Initiate Environmental Review process as soon as possible to avoid delays.
Section 2- Levels of Review
Exempt or Categorically Excluded Not Subject to 58.5 (CENST) - Projects without any new environmental risks or impacts, including tenant-based rental assistance, tenant-based leasing, supportive services, and administrative costs, including leasing office or emergency shelter space.
Categorically Excluded Subject to 58.5 (CEST) - Projects with minor new risks and impacts, including project-based rental assistance and minor rehab.
Limited Scope Review - Projects that consist only of leasing or rental assistance activities.
Environmental Assessment (EA) - Projects that include larger environmental impacts such as major rehabilitation, new construction, and demolition.
Section 3 - Learning Management System (LMS)
The CoC Grant Competition Task Group partnered with staff from the Institute for Community Alliances (ICA) to create a training course on the Learning Management System (LMS) focused on expectations of CoC funded projects, called CoC 101 Training. If you are a current Wellsky system user, you can click here to enroll for the training.
If you are not currently a user, please contact support@icalliances.org to get set up within the Wellsky system.