94 STAT. 2460 Publication in Federal Kegister.
43 USC 1734.
PUBLIC LAW 96-487—DEC. 2, 1980
pleted within One year from the date of such filing. Such nine-month Q^^ one-year periods may be extended for good cause by the Federal agency head assigned lead responsibility for the preparation of such statement if he determines that additional time is necessary for such preparation, notifies the applicant in writing of such determination, and publishes notice of such determination, together with the reasons therefor, in the Federal Register. The provisions of section 304 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 shall apply to each environmental impact statement under this subsection in the same manner as such provisions apply to applications relating to the public lands referred to in such section 304. The Federal agency assigned lead responsibility shall, in conjunction with such other Federal agencies before which the application is pending, hold public hearings in the District of Columbia and an appropriate location in the State on each draft joint environmental impact statement and the views expressed therein shall be considered by all Federal agencies concerned before publication of the final joint environmental impact statement. (f) OTHER VIEWS.—During both the nine-month period, and the succeeding three-month period plus any extension thereof provided for in subsection (e), the heads of the Federal agencies concerned shall solicit and consider the views of other Federal departments and agencies, the Alaska Land Use Council, the State, affected units of local government in the State, and affected corporations formed pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and, after public notice, shall receive and consider statements and recommendations regarding the application submitted by interested individuals and organizations. (g) AGENCY DECISION.—(1) Within four months after the final environmental impact statement is published in accordance with subsection (e) with respect to any transportation or utility system, each Federal agency shall make a decision to approve or disapprove, in accordance with applicable law, each authorization that applies with respect to the system and that is within the jurisdiction of that agen^. (2) The head of each Federal agency, in making a decision referred to in paragraph (1), shall consider, and make detailed findings supported by substantial evidence, with respect to— (A) the need for, and economic feasibility of, the transportation or utility system; (B) alternative routes and modes of access, including a determination with respect to whether there is any economically feasible and prudent alternative to the routing of the system through or within a conservation system unit, national recreation area, or national conservation area and, if not, whether there are alternative routes or modes which would result in fewer or less severe adverse impacts upon the conservation system unit; (C) the feasibility and impacts of including different transportation or utility systems in the same area; (D) short- and long-term social, economic, and environmental impacts of national. State, or local significance, including impacts on fish and wildlife and their habitat, and on rural, traditional lifestyles; (E) the impacts, if any, on the national security interests of the United States, that may result from approval or denial of the application for a transportation or utility system; (F) any impacts that would affect the purposes for which the Federal unit or area concerned was established;
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