Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 1.djvu/397

 PUBLIC LAW 103-233—APR. 11, 1994 108 STAT. 371 (b) PROGRAMS UNDER U^fITED STATES HOUSING ACT OF 1937.— Title I of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: "SEC. 26. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS. 42 USC 1437x. "(a) IN GENERAL. — "(1) RELEASE OF FUNDS. —In order to assure that the poU- cies of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and other provisions of law which further the purposes of such Act (as specified in regulations issued by the Secretary) are most effectively implemented in connection with the expenditure of funds under this title, and to assure to the public undiminished protection of the environment, the Secretary may, under such regulations, in lieu of the environmental protection procedures otherwise applicable, provide for the release of funds for projects or activities under this title, as specified by the Secretary upon the request of a public housing agency (including an Indian housing authority) under this section, if the State or unit of general local government, as designated by the Secretary in accordance with regulations, assumes all of the responsibilities for environmental review, decisionmaking, and action pursuant to such Act, and such other provisions of law as the regulations of the Secretary may specify, which would otherwise apply to the Secretary with respect to the release of funds. "(2) IMPLEMENTATION. —The Secretary, after consultation Regulations. with the Council on Environmental Quality, shall issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section. Such regulations shall specify the programs to be covered. "(b) PROCEDURE. — The Secretary shall approve the release of funds subject to the procedures authorized by this section only if, not less than 15 days prior to such approval and prior to any commitment of funds to such projects or activities, the public housing agency (including an Indian housing authority) has submitted to the Secretary a request for such release accompanied by a certification of the State or unit of general local government which meets the requirements of subsection (c). The Secretary's approval of any such certification shall be deemed to satisfy the Secretary's responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and such other provisions of law as the regulations of the Secretary specify insofar as those responsibilities relate to the release of funds which are covered by such certification. "(c) CERTIFICATION.— ^A certification under the procedures authorized by this section shall— "(1) be in a form acceptable td the Secretary; "(2) be executed by the chief executive officer or other officer of the State or unit of general local government who qualifies under regulations of the Secretary; "(3) specify that the State or unit of general local government under this section has fully carried out its responsibilities as described under subsection (a); and "(4) specify that the certifying officer— "(A) consents to assume the status of a responsible Federal official under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and each provision of law specified in regulations issued by the Secretary insofar as the provisions

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