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This proposed rule would revise HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR parts 50 and 58 to update and streamline its requirements to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and various other environmental resource laws, regulations, and executive orders. It would modernize HUD’s regulations by eliminating outdated references and overly burdensome procedural steps while clarifying existing compliance requirements. This proposed rule would also make minor technical changes to 24 CFR parts 51 and 55.

Statement of Need:

HUD’s part 50 and 58 regulations have not been substantially revised since 1996. As a result, the environmental processes are outdated, or even inapplicable, based on the evolution of HUD’s programs to meet the Agency’s mission. Some of the current requirements of these regulations are unnecessary and overly burdensome, including environmental review requirements for actions that generally do not affect the environment, and duplicative review requirements. Both of these issues are addressed in this rule.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

Executive Order 13771 requires that agencies issue two deregulatory actions for each regulatory action. In addition, the Executive Order requires agencies to identify a cap on incremental costs of regulations for the fiscal year. The cost savings created by this rule assist HUD in reducing its costs to meet that ceiling.

Alternatives:

None.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

Executive Order 12866, as amended, requires the agency to provide its best estimate of the combined aggregate costs and benefits of all regulations included in the agency's Regulatory Plan that will be pursued in FY 2021. HUD expects that the neither the total economic costs nor the total cost savings from burden reduction and increased efficiency will exceed $100 million. HUD believes that the rule will in the aggregate save costs by reducing the burden of environmental compliance.

Risks:

None.