Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 21, November 5, 2024
Section 20.11.4.157 - REEVALUATION OF CONFORMITYA. Once a conformity evaluation is completed by a federal agency, that determination is not required to be reevaluated if the agency has maintained a continuous program to implement the action; the determination has not lapsed as specified in Subsection B of 20.11.4.157 NMAC; or any modification to the action does not result in an increase in emissions above the levels specified in Subsection B of 20.11.4.153 NMAC. If a conformity determination is not required for the action at the time NEPA analysis is completed, the date of the finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for an environmental assessment, a record of decision (ROD) for an environmental impact statement, or a categorical exclusion determination can be used as a substitute date for the conformity determination date.B. The conformity status of a federal action automatically lapses five years from the date a final conformity determination is reported under 20.11.4.155 NMAC, unless the federal action has been completed or a continuous program to implement the federal action has been commenced.C. Ongoing federal activities at a given site showing continuous progress are not new actions and do not require periodic re-determination so long as such activities are within the scope of the final conformity determination reported under 20.11.4.155 NMAC.D. If the federal agency originally determined through the applicability analysis that a conformity determination was not necessary because the emissions for the action were below the limits in Subsection B of 20.11.4.153 NMAC and changes to the action would result in the total emissions from the action being above the limits in Subsection B of 20.11.4.153 NMAC, then the federal agency must make a conformity determination.N.M. Admin. Code § 20.11.4.157
20.11.4.157 NMAC - Rn & A, 20.11.4.16 NMAC, 3/14/11