15228. WHERE FEDERAL AGENCY WILL NOT COOPERATE

Where a federal agency will not cooperate in the preparation of joint document and will require separate NEPA compliance for the project at a later time, the state or local agency should persist in efforts to cooperate with the federal agency. Because NEPA expressly allows federal agencies to use environmental documents prepared by an agency of statewide jurisdiction, a local agency should try to involve a state agency in helping prepare an EIR or Negative Declaration for the project. In this way there will be a greater chance that the federal agency may later use the CEQA document and not require the applicant to pay for preparation of a second document to meet NEPA requirements at a later time.

Note: Authority cited: Section 21083, Public Resources Code; Reference: Section 21083.5, Public Resources Code; Section 102 (2)(D) of NEPA, 42 U.S.C.A. 4322 (2)(D) .