The Unified Federal Review (UFR) Process establishes a consistent process and best practices for you, as an Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) Practitioner, to conduct reviews of proposed disaster recovery projects whenever multiple federal agencies are engaged in the same disaster recovery effort.
The resources available on this page will assist you in building relationships with applicants, federal agencies, tribes, and state and local agencies to unify and expedite EHP review of proposed disaster recovery projects.
Visit the UFR Library for tools available to support Environmental and Historic Preservation reviews for disaster recovery projects.
How the UFR Process Impacts Practitioners
The UFR Process coordinates federal agency EHP reviews for proposed disaster recovery projects associated with Presidentially-declared disasters under the Stafford Act. As an EHP Practitioner during disaster recovery, you must consider whether there are other funding and/or resource/regulatory agencies involved, whether the proposed project is covered by existing analyses or agreements, and how you can use the Tools and Mechanisms to expedite your EHP reviews. The Practitioner Guidance, available in the UFR Library, more fully explains the UFR Process and the role of EHP Practitioners in supporting it.
Implementing During Disaster Recovery Planning
Actively work with applicants to identify potential consulting parties, cooperating agencies, and interested stakeholders; identify natural and cultural resources potentially affected or impacted by the proposed recovery project and work to integrate EHP considerations into the project; and design projects before applications are received. Use Kickoff Meetings to communicate relevant EHP information to applicants. See Chapter III of the Practitioner Guidance for more information.
Implementing During Disaster Recovery
Engage early and frequently with federal, tribal, state, and local organizations including HUD responsible entities, State Historic Preservations Officers, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and other stakeholders, such as the public and vulnerable, overburdened populations to integrate their considerations into project planning. Address resource needs for EHP reviews by identifying existing and needed staff, funds, and technical assistance; considering how to share resources among agencies; and considering how to avoid duplication of reviews.
Use the IT Resources List, Agency POC List, Data Sharing Agreement Content, and Data Standards List to gather and review EHP information. Use the UFR MOU to quickly resolve disputes with other agencies and determine agency responsibilities. Use a Disaster-Specific MOU to solidify commitments between funding and resource/regulatory agencies; coordinate with other agencies for disaster-specific purposes; and prioritize the use of federal funding for disaster recovery. See Chapters IV-VI of the Practitioner Guidance for more information.