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This entry comes from a compiled reference dataset, not an agency-published machine-readable feed. Consult the source references below. This label does not establish who compiled the dataset or its legal authority.

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Categorical Exclusion (CE)

National Science Foundation

Compiled reference

Categorical Exclusion

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Exclusion Text

(b) Most NSF awards support individual scientific research projects and are not “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment” except in the sense that the long term effect of the accumulation of human knowledge is likely to affect the quality of the human environment. However, such long term effects are basically speculative and unknowable in advance; thus they normally do not provide a sufficient basis for classifying research as subject to NEPA (See 40 CFR 1508.8) and are categorically excluded from an environmental assessment. Nevertheless, in some cases the actual procedures used in carrying out the research may have potential environmental effects, particularly where the project requires construction of facilities or major disturbance of the local environment brought about by blasting, drilling, excavating, or other means. Accordingly, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the following types of activities require at least an environmental assessment:

Provenance

  • Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Dataset: National Science Foundation
  • Source provenance: Compiled reference
  • Source type: legacy seed
  • Identifier: 34aac583-3480-506e-a0e7-a2829dc93059
  • Identity status: bootstrap (publisher declaration, not independently verified)
  • Identity issuer: Environmental Review Exchange prototype bootstrap; pending CEQ confirmation
  • Legacy identifiers: NSF---1-1
  • Fetched at: 1970-01-01T00:00:00+00:00 (not an agency verification date)
  • Catalog scope: agency; publisher declares complete: false

Source legal reference

CEQ-compiled compendium of Federal categorical exclusions (historical, non-authoritative baseline)

Disclaimer

This CE Explorer tool is not an authoritative source and creates no rights or obligations. Review the relevant agency's NEPA procedures before applying a categorical exclusion.

When using the CE Explorer Tool, Federal agencies and stakeholders should review the relevant agency's NEPA procedures for information about how to apply the CE, including any limitations or potential extraordinary circumstances, and to ensure that a CE is current and applicable to a given proposed action. To adopt and use another agency's categorical exclusion, an agency must follow the steps described in section 109 of NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4336c.

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