The NOI/RROF must be disseminated and/or published in the manner prescribed by § 58.43 and § 58.45 before the certification is signed by the responsible entity.

(a) The RROF and certification shall be sent to the appropriate HUD Field Office (or the State, if applicable), except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section. This request shall be executed by the Certifying Officer. The request shall describe the specific project and activities covered by the request and contain the certification required under the applicable statute cited in § 58.1(b). The RROF and certification must be in a form specified by HUD.

(b) When the responsible entity is conducting an environmental review on behalf of a recipient, as provided for in § 58.10, the recipient must provide the responsible entity with all available project and environmental information and refrain from undertaking any physical activities or choice limiting actions until HUD (or the State, if applicable) has approved its request for release of funds. The certification form executed by the responsible entity's certifying officer shall be sent to the recipient that is to receive the assistance along with a description of any special environmental conditions that must be adhered to in carrying out the project. The recipient is to submit the RROF and the certification of the responsible entity to HUD (or the State, if applicable) requesting the release of funds. The recipient must agree to abide by the special conditions, procedures and requirements of the environmental review, and to advise the responsible entity of any proposed change in the scope of the project or any change in environmental conditions.

(c) If the responsible entity determines that some of the activities are exempt under applicable provisions of this part, the responsible entity shall advise the recipient that it may commit funds for these activities as soon as programmatic authorization is received. This finding shall be documented in the ERR maintained by the responsible entity and in the recipient's project files.

The actions which HUD (or a State) may take with respect to a recipient's environmental certification and RROF are as follows:

(a) In the absence of any receipt of objection to the contrary, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, HUD (or the State) will assume the validity of the certification and RROF and will approve these documents after expiration of the 15-day period prescribed by statute.

(b) HUD (or the state) may disapprove a certification and RROF if it has knowledge that the responsible entity or other participants in the development process have not complied with the items in § 58.75, or that the RROF and certification are inaccurate.

(c) In cases in which HUD has approved a certification and RROF but subsequently learns (e.g., through monitoring) that the recipient violated § 58.22 or the recipient or responsible entity otherwise failed to comply with a clearly applicable environmental authority, HUD shall impose appropriate remedies and sanctions in accord with the law and regulations for the program under which the violation was found.

HUD (or the State) will not approve the ROF for any project before 15 calendar days have elapsed from the time of receipt of the RROF and the certification or from the time specified in the notice published pursuant to § 58.70, whichever is later. Any person or agency may object to a recipient's RROF and the related certification. However, the objections must meet the conditions and procedures set forth in subpart H of this part. HUD (or the State) can refuse the RROF and certification on any grounds set forth in § 58.75. All decisions by HUD (or the State) regarding the RROF and the certification shall be final.

All objections must be received by HUD (or the State) within 15 days from the time HUD (or the State) receives the recipient's RROF and the related certification, or within the time period specified in the notice, whichever is later.

HUD (or the State), will consider objections claiming a responsible entity's noncompliance with this part based only on any of the following grounds:

(a) The certification was not in fact executed by the responsible entity's Certifying Officer.

(b) The responsible entity has failed to make one of the two findings pursuant to § 58.40 or to make the written determination required by §§ 58.35, 58.47 or 58.53 for the project, as applicable.

(c) The responsible entity has omitted one or more of the steps set forth at subpart E of this part for the preparation, publication and completion of an EA.

(d) The responsible entity has omitted one or more of the steps set forth at subparts F and G of this part for the conduct, preparation, publication and completion of an EIS.

(e) The recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by this part before release of funds and approval of the environmental certification by HUD (or the state).

(f) Another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality.

A person or agency objecting to a responsible entity's RROF and certification shall submit objections in writing to HUD (or the State). The objections shall:

(a) Include the name, address and telephone number of the person or agency submitting the objection, and be signed by the person or authorized official of an agency.

(b) Be dated when signed.

(c) Describe the basis for objection and the facts or legal authority supporting the objection.

(d) State when a copy of the objection was mailed or delivered to the responsible entity's Certifying Officer.

(a) Responsibilities of HUD and States. HUD's (or, where applicable, the State's) approval of the certification shall be deemed to satisfy the responsibilities of the Secretary under NEPA and related provisions of law cited at § 58.5 insofar as those responsibilities relate to the release of funds as authorized by the applicable provisions of law cited in § 58.1(b).

(b) Public and agency redress. Persons and agencies seeking redress in relation to environmental reviews covered by an approved certification shall deal with the responsible entity and not with HUD. It is HUD's policy to refer all inquiries and complaints to the responsible entity and its Certifying Officer. Similarly, the State (where applicable) may direct persons and agencies seeking redress in relation to environmental reviews covered by an approved certification to deal with the responsible entity, and not the State, and may refer inquiries and complaints to the responsible entity and its Certifying Officer. Remedies for noncompliance are set forth in program regulations.

(c) Implementation of environmental review decisions. Projects of a recipient will require post-review monitoring and other inspection and enforcement actions by the recipient and the State or HUD (using procedures provided for in program regulations) to assure that decisions adopted through the environmental review process are carried out during project development and implementation.

(d) Responsibility for monitoring and training. (1) At least once every three years, HUD intends to conduct in-depth monitoring and exercise quality control (through training and consultation) over the environmental activities performed by responsible entities under this part. Limited monitoring of these environmental activities will be conducted during each program monitoring site visit. If through limited or in-depth monitoring of these environmental activities or by other means, HUD becomes aware of any environmental deficiencies, HUD may take one or more of the following actions:

(i) In the case of problems found during limited monitoring, HUD may schedule in-depth monitoring at an earlier date or may schedule in-depth monitoring more frequently;

(ii) HUD may require attendance by staff of the responsible entity at HUD-sponsored or approved training, which will be provided periodically at various locations around the country;

(iii) HUD may refuse to accept the certifications of environmental compliance on subsequent grants;

(iv) HUD may suspend or terminate the responsible entity's assumption of the environmental review responsibility;

(v) HUD may initiate sanctions, corrective actions, or other remedies specified in program regulations or agreements or contracts with the recipient.

(2) HUD's responsibilities and action under paragraph (d)(1) of this section shall not be construed to limit or reduce any responsibility assumed by a responsible entity with respect to any particular release of funds under this part. Whether or not HUD takes action under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the Certifying Officer remains the responsible Federal official under § 58.13 with respect to projects and activities for which the Certifying Officer has submitted a certification under this part.