§ 26.32 List of VA categorical exclusions.
(a) The following classes of major Federal actions, which VA has determined normally do not significantly affect the quality of the human environment, may be categorically excluded from further NEPA analysis. The actions in this section followed by the parenthetic notation “(CXdoc)” require preparation of a CATEX document for each action, in accordance with § 26.30.
(1) VA-wide operations—(i) CATEX 1: Field exercises and training. Training with field exercises (such as for medical, police, fire, and emergency management personnel) for emergency preparedness that substantially conforms to the use of the space where the training is proposed or does not otherwise impact the proposed training area (no ground disturbance or adverse effects to air, water, historic resources, or wildlife habitat).
(ii) CATEX 2: Field studies and surveys. Site characterization studies and environmental monitoring, including siting, erecting, operating, and dismantling or closing of characterization and monitoring devices, in compliance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements. Such activities include, but are not limited to:
(A) Site characterization and environmental monitoring activities;
(B) Feasibility studies;
(C) Geological, geophysical, geochemical, and engineering surveys, including the establishment of survey marks;
(D) Installation and operation of ambient air monitoring equipment;
(E) Sampling and characterization of surface and ground waters, soils, rocks, spills, or contaminants;
(F) Sampling and characterization of water effluents, air emissions, or solid waste streams;
(G) Sampling of flora or fauna; and
(H) Historic property identification and evaluation studies.
(iii) CATEX 3: Special events, ceremonies, and related activities. Hosting of special events or short-term ceremonies, including erection of temporary shelters or other structures to be used for the event or ceremony at VA cemeteries, medical centers, or ancillary facilities, including but not limited to Federal holiday events. The event must not exceed applicable noise ordinances or site capacity. The associated structures must be used only for the purposes of the event or ceremony and the duration of such structures must not substantially exceed the duration of the event.
(iv) CATEX 4: Waste management. Routine waste management, including transportation, collection, storage, treatment, removal, and disposition activities for solid waste, medical waste, special hazards (for example, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, lead-based paint), and hazardous waste that comply with existing Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. This CATEX is not applicable to new construction of facilities for such management purposes.
(v) CATEX 5: Transportation. Routine transportation of veterans, VA employees, and/or other eligible persons and supplies for medical care, administrative, or other mission-related purposes using existing roads and vehicles.
(2) Housing operations—(i) CATEX 6: Provision of housing. Provision of VA housing services to veterans, VA employees, or other eligible persons in existing structures on property with substantially completed infrastructure when the placement does not exceed the capacity of existing transportation, waste, energy, or water infrastructure.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) Acquisition or disposition of land, buildings, or space—(i) CATEX 7: Acquisition of space within an existing structure (CXdoc). VA acquisition of space within an existing structure where there is no change in the general type of use and no more than a 20 percent increase in maximum occupancy level is proposed (previous occupant need not have been a Federal tenant). This also includes lease extensions, renewals, or succeeding leases for VA-occupied space provided the continued use(s) are the same as those contained in the original lease.
(ii) CATEX 8: Acquisition of land and/or buildings (CXdoc). VA acquisition of land and/or buildings in the following circumstances:
(A) Acquisition of land where there is no near-term (within approximately five years) proposed change in the general type of use; where, if the land is previously undisturbed, it will remain undisturbed for the near term; or where the continued use will not create significant impacts to the surrounding environment; or
(B) If there are structures or buildings on the land, the acquisition will not increase the previous maximum occupancy level by more than 20 percent (previous occupant need not have been a Federal tenant), although demolition in compliance with environmental and historic preservation requirements may occur.
(iii) CATEX 9: Out-leases to third party tenants (CXdoc). Out-leases to third party tenants of buildings and/or land, where there is no change in the general type of use and no more than a 20 percent increase in the previous maximum occupancy level is proposed, where the out-lease and use by third party tenants will comply with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements.
(iv) CATEX 10: Agreements for use of VA-owned space (CXdoc). Agreements (for example, permits or licenses) for use of VA-owned space with other Federal or State agencies or entities for sharing of space and resources consistent with their previous use by either agency or entity. This includes agreement extensions, renewals, or succeeding permits or licenses provided the continued use(s) are the same as those contained in the original permit or license to other agencies or entities on VA land.
(v) CATEX 11: Disposal of real property (CXdoc). Disposal of real property to another Federal, State, or local agency; Tribe; private entity; or non-profit group, including demolition and site restoration, that conforms to the requirements of the General Services Administration Real Property Utilization and Disposal Resource Guide or subsequent similar guidance and where the reasonably foreseeable subsequent use is of similar intensity to VA's use and meets the requirements of all applicable environmental and historic preservation laws and guidance.
(4) Services and procurement—(i) CATEX 12: Medical-related services. Provision of medical care to veterans or other eligible persons including but not limited to medical diagnostic, treatment, and care services; distribution (and return) of pharmaceuticals, prosthetics, home oxygen, and other medical supplies; and provision of home healthcare services in support of normal day-to-day activities for provision of medical care.
(ii) CATEX 13: Research. Research activities conducted within an existing laboratory or other contained facility where all applicable safety and environmental requirements are met. May include use and disposition of radionuclides or hazardous or biological materials for research purposes that comply with VA master materials license requirements and any other applicable environmental and health and safety requirements.
(iii) CATEX 14: Laundry and food services. Laundry and food services operations from existing facilities conducted on-site at VA medical centers or ancillary VA facilities in compliance with applicable environmental, historic, and health and safety requirements.
(iv) CATEX 15: Procurement, lease, transport, storage, and disposition of supplies, materials, and equipment. Procurement and/or lease, transport, storage, and disposition of materials, supplies, and equipment related to medical treatment, diagnostic support, or research; cemetery operations; and other agency functions. Materials, supplies, and equipment must comply with applicable Federal, State, and local requirements and be purchased in accordance with applicable Federal procurement policies and VA procurement requirements.
(5) Cemetery Operations—(i) CATEX 16: Interment ceremony services. Interment ceremony services including but not limited to the committal service, motorcade, burial, and rendering of military honors.
(ii) CATEX 17: Soil excavation and replacement for interments. Soil excavation and replacement for access to pre-placed crypts for interment and for direct burials in designated interment areas in compliance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements.
(iii) CATEX 18: Cemetery land development (CXdoc). Expansion of cemeteries where the expansion is limited to the construction and development of one or more new crypt fields or columbaria within the boundaries of an existing cemetery, and in compliance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements.
(6) Electronics—(i) CATEX 19: Communication systems (CXdoc for ground-disturbing actions only). Procurement, installation, operation, modification, removal, or disposal of communication systems, computers, data processing equipment, fiber optic cables, alarm systems, wiring, antennae, and other communications equipment in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local requirements. Includes installing or modifying communications equipment by VA, a vendor, or telecommunications provider within or on existing structures, erecting free-standing antennae, and constructing buildings or additions.
(ii) [Reserved]
(7) New construction and related activities—(i) CATEX 20: New construction (CXdoc). New construction in either of the following circumstances:
(A) Construction on existing VA property with substantially developed infrastructure, in developed or undeveloped areas of the property, the use or operation of which, when completed, is consistent with existing VA use of the overall property, does not change the function of the facility or modify VA's intended land use, and does not exceed the capacity of existing transportation, waste, energy, or water infrastructure serving the property. These activities include but are not limited to new structures or additions to existing buildings that comply with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements; associated utility extensions and connections; and installation, use, and removal of facilities such as construction trailers and use of materials laydown areas during the construction process; or
(B) Acquisition of property and subsequent construction, with construction that does not exceed a total building footprint of 75,000 square feet including by build-to-suit lease, and/or 20 acres of interment space installation to be associated with an existing cemetery, and may include installation, use, and removal of facilities such as construction trailers and use of materials laydown areas during the construction process; where use will not exceed the capacity of existing transportation, waste, energy, or water infrastructure serving the property; and construction and use will comply with applicable Federal, State, and local environmental and historic preservation laws, regulations, and ordinances.
(ii) CATEX 21: Interior renovation. Interior renovation, alteration, restoration, or rehabilitation projects that do not adversely affect properties listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and are done in accordance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements.
(iii) CATEX 22: Installing new or replacing or relocating onsite existing building components, site elements, utilities, and equipment (CXdoc). Installing, replacing, retrofitting, upgrading, or relocating onsite in a manner that substantially conforms to the pre-existing design, function, and location and complies with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements. These activities include but are not limited to:
(A) Installation or replacement of building components such as windows, doors, roofs, HVAC equipment, or electrical distribution system components in existing facilities;
(B) Installation or replacement of VA facility site elements such as sidewalks, patios, fences, sheds, retaining walls, curbs, parking lots, trails, memorials, fountains, benches, roads, garages, drainage structures, signs, and entrance features;
(C) Installation or replacement of site utilities whether by VA or a third party, such as water distribution lines and storage, storm or sanitary sewer lines, system generators, tanks for heating systems and/or generators, or primary or secondary electrical or communications lines, steam lines, and holding ponds, where the action does not exceed the site or system's capacity and including granting easements to utility companies to conduct these activities on VA property;
(D) Installation or replacement of equipment to support vehicular maintenance and operation (such as fuel storage, repair equipment);
(E) Installation or replacement of headstones, grave markers, statues, and monuments in existing VA cemeteries so long as the activity does not negatively affect the historic integrity or national shrine cemetery characteristics and is to a site that has been previously disturbed and can reasonably accommodate the activity; and
(F) Relocation of statues and monuments in existing VA cemeteries so long as the activity does not negatively affect historic integrity or national shrine cemetery characteristics and is to a site that has been previously disturbed and can reasonably accommodate the activity.
(iv) CATEX 23: Repair, renovation, and maintenance. Repair, renovation, maintenance, grounds-keeping, and custodial activities at VA facilities provided that the activities conform to pre-existing design and are performed in accordance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements such as those governing the use of toxic or hazardous materials. These activities include but are not limited to:
(A) Repair, renovation, and maintenance of building components such as windows, doors, roofs, HVAC equipment, and electrical distribution system components in existing facilities;
(B) Repair, renovation, and maintenance of VA facility site elements such as sidewalks, patios, fences, sheds, retaining walls, curbs, parking lots, trails, memorials, fountains, and benches;
(C) Repair, renovation, and maintenance of site utilities such as water distribution lines and storage (including water towers), storage tanks, storm or sanitary sewer lines, primary or secondary electrical or communications lines, steam lines, and holding ponds where the action is in accordance with applicable regulations and does not exceed the site or system's capacity, including granting easements to utility companies for conducting these actions on VA property;
(D) Repair, renovation, and maintenance activities for property site elements such as roads, garages, drainage structures, signs, and entrance features;
(E) Interior and exterior facility maintenance, renovation, and custodial actions to preserve facility appearance, working conditions, and sanitation, and maintain and preserve buildings, structures, infrastructures, and equipment in a condition suitable for a facility to be used for its designed purpose such as pest management measures, window washing, surface coatings, paint, street sweeping, trash collecting, and snow removal that do not adversely impact wildlife habitat or historic resources; and safety, environmental, and historic preservation requirements are met;
(F) Grounds repairs, renovation, and maintenance activities including but not limited to use of irrigation systems where there is sufficient available water to do so; mowing and trimming of vegetation; and application of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides;
(G) Repair, renovation, and maintenance of VA equipment and other similar assets that are not attached to a structure; and
(H) Repair, maintenance, and treatment of headstones, grave markers, columbaria, statues, monuments, and flagpoles in existing VA cemeteries so long as the activities do not negatively affect the historic integrity or national shrine cemetery characteristics.
(v) CATEX 24: Demolition (CXdoc). Actions involving partial or complete demolition of non-historic structures or historic structures in accordance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements including but not limited to parking structures, medical center buildings, and unused buildings.
(vi) CATEX 25: Environmental remediation and abatement. Actions undertaken in accordance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements for remediating contamination of soil, water, air, biota, structures, or other environmental components and associated disposal; waste remediation or disposal; or abatement, containment, or removal and disposal of asbestos-containing material or lead-based paint from VA-owned, leased, or operated facilities.
(8) Energy—(i) CATEX 26: Solar and wind energy (CXdoc). Installation, modification, operation, and removal on property owned or leased by VA of solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines mounted on existing non-historic buildings or structures (for example, buildings, carports) or, if located on land, generally comprising less than 10 acres, in accordance with all applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements. For wind turbines, total height would be generally less than 200 feet (measured from ground to maximum height of blade rotation) and would comply with Federal Aviation Administration, National Weather Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service siting and design requirements and guidelines.
(ii) CATEX 27: Retro commissioning. Retro commissioning or re-commissioning of existing structures in accordance with applicable environmental and historic preservation requirements.
(iii) CATEX 28: Conservation and energy efficiency measures (CXdoc for certain project types). Actions to conserve water or energy, demonstrate potential water or energy conservation, or promote energy efficiency improvements that do not exceed capacity of system components or have the potential to change concentrations of potentially harmful substances including but not limited to:
(A) Upgrading equipment and systems with more efficient components, green-roof retrofits, weatherization, timers on hot water heaters, energy efficient lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, drip-irrigation systems, and efficiency rating improvements for facilities or vehicles;
(B) Ground source heat pump and combined heat and power systems (CXdoc);
(C) Beneficial landscaping;
(D) Power storage (CXdoc); and
(E) Small-scale research and development for energy efficiency and conservation (CXdoc).
(b) VA may amend this list of CATEXs by following the procedure described in § 26.30(d).