Deadline: NEPA Comments for DHS Undertaking to Conduct Unmanned Aircraft Activities

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer

WHO:  Tribal leadership and environmental staff 

WHAT: Initial outreach for a proposed programmatic environmental assessment to conduct current and future small, unmanned aircraft system (sUAS; i.e., drone) activities nationwide in order to meet DHS mission requirements (Proposed Action). Please see the attached letter for more information.

WHY: To evaluate the potential impacts associated with the Proposed Action pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 United States Code [USC] §§ 4321 et seq.); the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-1508); and DHS Management Directive 023-01, rev. 01 Implementation of the NEPA.

WHEN: Your input, comments, and interest in formally consulted is requested by May 14, 2022.

HOW: Comments and requests to consult may be emailed to DHS Federal Preservation Officer, Jennifer Hass (Jennifer.Hass@hq.dhs.gov), Sarah Koeppel, DHS Deputy Federal Preservation Officer, at 202-868-2759 or Sarah.Koeppel@hq.dhs.gov, or sent to Kursten Anderson at AECOM, 10 Patewood Drive, Building 6 Suite 500, Greenville, SC 29615 or kursten.anderson@aecom.com. Please reference the sUAS PEA in your correspondence.

This NEPA analysis is being conducted by the DHS Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer, Sustainability and Environmental Programs with contract support provided by AECOM. This outreach does not constitute formal tribal consultation, but serves an ongoing collaboration effort supporting the implementation of E.O. 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, NEPA, and the National Historic Preservation Act.