ATTACHMENT_J.10_RCE_2015-BYE-019.pdf

DCN: 2015-BYE-019

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Mission for Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, and Cyprus

Request for Categorical Exclusion (RCE)

Activity Data:

Activity Name: Community Connections Assistance Objective: Governing Justly and Democratically Program Area: 2.4 Civil Society Country(ies) and/or Operating Unit: Belarus Originating Office: USAID/Belarus Date: August 25, 2015 PAD Level RCE: Yes No RCE/IEE Amendment: Yes No Supplemental RCE: Yes No

DCN of Original RCE/IEE: 2011-BYE-003

DCN of Amendment(s): n/a

If Yes, Purpose of Amendment:

(1) To extend implementation start/end of the original RCE from FY16 through FY22 and increase LOP to cover activities under the current award, as well as (2) activities envisioned under the follow-on project

DCN(s) of Related EA/IEE/RCE/ER(s): n/a Implementation Start/End: FY16 - FY22 LOP: FY11 - FY22 Funding Amount: AMD: $4,500,000 LOP Amount: $9,000,000 Contract/Award Number (if known): AID-OAA-I-12-00008 IEE Expiration Date (if any): n/a Reporting due dates (if any): n/a

Recommended Determination: Categorical Exclusion

Additional Elements:

Government to Government: Local Procurement: Donor Co-Funded:

1. Purpose of the Amendment The purpose of this amendment is to: (1) extend implementation start/end of the original RCE from FY16 through FY22 and increase LOP to cover activities under the current award during the period of FY16 - FY17, as well as activities envisioned under the follow-on Community Connections Program in Belarus project in FY18 - FY22. The follow-on Community Connections Program in Belarus project will include the same activities as the current one.

2. Compliance of on-going activities The Community Connections Program in Belarus has been in compliance with the determination made in the original RCE (DCN: 2011-BYE-003). USAID/Belarus certifies that the project has closely observed health issues throughout its implementation and all project procedures complied with the Belarusian health legislation.

As required by ADS 252 and ADS 253, all exchange visitors have undergone a medical exam to identify medical conditions, which could limit their ability to complete their training, before they were accepted to the Program and sent to the U.S. To ensure the full integrity of the examination process including the avoidance of superficial or proforma examinations and to prevent fraudulent practices, specific local arrangements must be designed which vary from country to country as conditions and availability of medical facilities dictate. In Belarus, such arrangements include:

- Medical exams are taken and medical examination forms are completed by the local polyclinic’s physician in accordance with the Guide to medical Fitness Standards for Applicants;

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- Completed medical examinations forms are subject to certification by the third party, a local private medical center’s physician;

- Certified forms are submitted to the responsible USAID officer for review, approving the waiver if need be, and signature.

The project has had no negative impact on the participants’ health as medical examinations ensured each exchange visitor was medically qualified to complete the program. Medical test findings and physician’s recommendations have been used by USAID to make final determination on the list of eligible participants.

3. Description of on-going activities and activities envisioned under the follow-on Community Connections Program The Community Connections Program in Belarus supports professional exchanges of groups of Belarusian participants to the United States where they engage in an intense program of professional and cultural activities. The program contributes to democratic and economic reform in Belarus by encouraging active citizen participation in democratic processes, while also fostering mutual understanding between American and Belarusian people. The program participants are hosted by American families during their stay in the U.S.

The proposed program aims to achieve the following objectives:

• to expose participants to the advantages and challenges of a democratic, free-market society;

• to enable participants to establish professional and personal connections in the United States;

• to encourage participants to implement social and economic change in Belarus.

The proposed program aims to achieve the following results: increased knowledge and skills by participants to address issues of importance in local communities; strengthened capacity of Belarusian professionals and eventually the institutions they represent to deal with the political, social, and economic challenges the country faces in implementing the democratic and free market reforms;

increased number of sustainable relationships formed between Belarusians and American professionals and institutions; and a positive change of attitude towards the United States.

The project has three components: 1) Expose participants to the advantages and challenges of a democratic, free-market society; 2) Enable participants establish professional and personal connections in the U.S.; and 3) Inspire participants to implements change in their home country.

Defined activities under Component One— Expose participants to the advantages and challenges of a democratic, free-market society

1.1 Sponsor meetings and site visits tailored to the participants’ professional needs Defined activities under Component Two— Enable participants establish professional and personal connections in the U.S.

2.1 Sponsor meetings and site visits tailored to the participants’ professional needs and interests Defined activities under Component Three— Inspire participants to implements change in their home country

3.1 Support the development of individual and group action plans

2. Justification for Categorical Exclusion Determination

The activities under the Community Connections Program in Belarus project will not have an effect on the natural or physical environment and are among the classes of activities listed in 22 CFR 216.2(c)(2). Therefore, under §216.2(c)(1), neither an IEE nor an EA will be required for these activities. Instead, a categorical exclusion threshold determination is recommended for:

• Activities 1.1, 2.1, 3.1 under §216.2(c)(2)(i) Education, technical assistance, or training programs except to the extent such programs include activities directly affecting the environment (such as construction of facilities, etc.);

3. Limitations of the Categorical Exclusion Determination:

This categorical exclusion does not cover classes of actions normally having a significant effect on the environment under §216.2(d):

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i. Programs of river basin development;

ii. Irrigation and water management;

iii. Agricultural land leveling;

iv. Drainage projects;

v. Large scale agricultural mechanization;

vi. Resettlement projects;

vii. New land development;

viii. Penetration road building and road improvement;

ix. Powerplants;

x. Industrial plants; and

xi. Potable water and sewerage projects In addition, this categorical exclusion does not cover activities that:

• Support project preparation, project feasibility studies, engineering design for activities listed in §216.2(d)(1);

• Affect endangered species ;

• Provide support to extractive industries (e.g. mining and quarrying);

• Promote timber harvesting;

• Lead to construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or renovation work;

• Support agro-processing or industrial enterprises;

• Provide support for regulatory permitting;

• Lead to privatization of industrial facilities or infrastructure with heavily polluted property;

• Assist the procurement (including payment in kind, donations, guarantees of credit) or use

(including handling, transport, fuel for transport, storage, mixing, loading, application, clean-up of spray equipment, and disposal) of pesticides or activities involving procurement, transport, use, storage, or disposal of toxic materials--pesticides cover all insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, etc. covered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; and/or

• Procure or use genetically modified organisms.

Any of these actions would require a Europe and Eurasia Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) approved amendment to the categorical exclusion.

4. Mandatory Inclusion of Environmental Compliance Requirements in Solicitations, Awards, Budgets, and Work Plans

• Appropriate environmental compliance language, including limitations defined in Section

3, shall be incorporated into solicitations and awards for categorical exclusions.

• I certify the implementing partner of the ongoing Community Connections Program in

Belarus project complies with the current RCE requirements. The implementing partner ensures annual work plans do not prescribe activities that are defined as limitations in Section 3.

5. Revisions

Under §216.3(a)(9), if new information becomes available that indicates that activities covered by the categorical exclusion might be considered major and their effect significant, or if additional activities are proposed that might be considered major and their effect significant, this categorical exclusion determination will be reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the Mission Environmental Officer (MEO) with concurrence by the BEO. It is the responsibility of the USAID Contract Officer’s Representative (COR)/Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) to keep the MEO and BEO informed of any new information or changes in the activity that might require revision of this determination.

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6. Recommended Determination for Categorical Exclusion Clearances

Approval:

John A. Pennell, Acting Regional Mission Director

Date

Clearance:

Brian Fink, Acting Deputy Mission Director

Joel Sandefur, Regional Legal Officer

Brian Fink, Regional Program Officer

Larissa Piskunova, Deputy Mission Environmental Officer

Matthew Sumpter, Country Program Director

Marina Orlovskaya, Originator/Preparer

Concurrence:

Mark Kamiya, E&E Bureau Environmental Officer

9/1/2015________________

Distribution:

IEE File MEO (to also provide a copy to AOR/COR)

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