§ 26.73 Supplemental analyses.
VA will prepare a supplemental analysis if a major Federal action is incomplete or ongoing and if there are substantial changes to the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns or there are substantial new circumstances or information about the significance of adverse effects that bear on the analysis. VA may also prepare a supplemental analysis when the purposes of NEPA will be furthered by doing so. A supplemental analysis may be completed at any stage of an EIS or EA. If, following internal agency review of an existing NEPA document, VA finds that changes to the proposed action or new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns are not substantial and therefore do not require a supplement, a NEPA Specialist will prepare a memorandum-to-file detailing the review process and analysis, with concurrence from either the decision-maker (or their successor) who signed the original NEPA document (EA or EIS) or the current VA NEPA Implementation Officer.
(a) Supplemental EA. VA may publish for public comment a supplemental EA to a draft or final EA, as appropriate to the stage of the EA involved, in consideration of whether public comments on the EA were previously solicited and the nature of any comments received as relevant to the new information or circumstances.
(b) Supplemental EIS. VA may publish for public comment a supplemental EIS to a draft or final EIS, as appropriate to the stage of the EIS involved, in consideration of whether public comments on the EIS were previously solicited and the nature of any comments received as relevant to the new information or circumstances.
(c) Administrative record. VA must add any supplemental analysis, or memorandum-to-file concluding supplemental analysis is not required, to the administrative record of the original EA or EIS to which the supplement applies. VA will integrate the supplemental EA or EIS using a format and technology compatible with the administrative record for the original EA or EIS. If an index for the original administrative record exists, VA will update or supplement it to list the supplemental EA or EIS.