The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plans to adopt categorical exclusions (CEs) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture—Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA) to streamline environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). These adopted CEs cover various agricultural activities, which HUD intends to use for projects like fence repairs or farm storage facility construction. HUD consulted with USDA-FSA to ensure these CEs are appropriate and will not cause significant environmental harm, barring extraordinary circumstances. The adoption will be effective after regulatory amendments or waivers are issued.
Simple Explanation
The government is making a plan to borrow some rules from another group to make checking how things like building farm storage or fixing fences might affect nature quicker and easier. They're talking with experts to make sure everything stays safe for the environment.