1. (a) Before reaching the decision points described in § 55.10(a), HUD (for Department-administered programs) or the responsible entity (for HUD financial assistance subject to 24 CFR part 58) shall determine whether Executive Order 11988, Executive Order 11990, and this part apply to the proposed action.
2. (b) If Executive Order 11988 or Executive Order 11990 and this part apply, the approval of a proposed action or initial commitment shall be made in accordance with this part. The primary purpose of Executive Order 11988 is “to avoid to the extent possible the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains and to avoid direct or indirect support of floodplain development wherever there is a practicable alternative.” The primary purpose of Executive Order 11990 is “to avoid to the extent possible the long and short-term adverse impacts associated with the destruction or modification of wetlands and to avoid direct or indirect support of new construction in wetlands wherever there is a practicable alternative.”

3. (c) The following table indicates the applicability, by location and type of action, of the decisionmaking process for implementing Executive Order 11988 and Executive Order 11990 under subpart C of this part.

   TABLE 1Type of proposed action (new reviewable action or an amendment) 1Type of proposed action Floodways Coastal high hazard areas Wetlands or 100-year floodplain outside coastal high hazard area and floodways Nonwetlands area outside of the 100-year and within the 500-year floodplain Critical Actions as defined in § 55.12(b)(2)Critical actions not allowed.Critical actions not allowed.Allowed if the proposed critical action is processed under § 55.20. 2Allowed if the proposed critical action is processed under § 55.20. 2 Noncritical actions not excluded under § 55.12(b) or (c)Allowed only if the proposed non-critical action is a functionally dependent use and processed under § 55.20. 2Allowed only if the proposed noncritical action is processed under § 55.20 2 and is (1) a functionally dependent use, (2) existing construction (including improvements), or (3) reconstruction following destruction caused by a disaster. If the action is not a functionally dependent use, the action must be designed for location in a Coastal High Hazard Area under § 55.1(c)(3)Allowed if proposed noncritical action is processed under § 55.20. 2Any noncritical action is allowed without processing under this part. 1 Under Executive Order 11990, the decisionmaking process in § 55.20 only applies to Federal assistance for new construction in wetlands locations. 2 Or those paragraphs of § 55.20 that are applicable to an action listed in § 55.12(a).

[78 FR 68730, Nov. 15, 2013]