§ 771.138 Timelines, page limits, and certifications.

(a)(1) Timelines for completion of EISs. (i) The Administration must complete the EIS no later than 2 years from publication of the notice of intent to the signature date of the ROD or combined final EIS/ROD (as applicable). (ii) For EISs that are major projects, the Administration must, to the maximum extent practicable, complete the EIS within a schedule consistent with an agency average of not more than 2 years from publication of the notice of intent to the signature date of the ROD or combined final EIS/ROD. (2) Timelines for completion of EAs. (i) The Administration must complete the EA no later than 1 year from the date the Administration determined the class of action to the signature date of the EA. If a notice of intent is published for an EA, then the start date shall be the publication date. (ii) For EAs that are major projects, the Administration must, to the maximum extent practicable, complete the EA within a schedule consistent with an agency average of not more than 2 years from the date the Administration determined the EA was required to the signature date of the FONSI. If a notice of intent is published for an EA, then the start date shall be the publication date. (3) The Administration, in consultation with the applicant, may extend the timelines described in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(2)(i) to provide only so much additional time as necessary to complete the EIS or EA, as applicable. (b) Page Limits. (1) EIS— (i) The text of an EIS must not exceed 200 pages, not including citations or appendices, to the maximum extent practicable, unless the Administration establishes a new page limit; (ii) When a project does not follow the 23 U.S.C. 139 process, the EIS must not exceed 150 pages, not including citations or appendices. An EIS for a proposed action of extraordinary complexity must not exceed 300 pages, not including any citations or appendices. (2) The text of an EA must not exceed 75 pages, not including any citations or appendices. (c) Certifications. (1) The lead agency(ies) signature on the EA, draft EIS, final EIS, or combined final EIS/ROD (as applicable) will certify that the Administration has considered the factors mandated by this part; that the EA, draft EIS, final EIS, or combined final EIS/ROD (as applicable), reflects the Administration's expert judgment and documents the most important considerations required by the statute and within the applicable timeline and page limits; and that any considerations addressed briefly or left unaddressed were, in the Administration's judgment, comparatively unimportant. (2) [Reserved]