The Administration will determine the applicability of Section 4(f) in accordance with this part.

When another Federal agency is the Federal lead agency for the NEPA process, the Administration shall make any required Section 4(f) approvals unless the Federal lead agency is another U.S. DOT agency.

Consideration under Section 4(f) is not required when the official(s) with jurisdiction over a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge determine that the property, considered in its entirety, is not significant. In the absence of such a determination, the Section 4(f) property will be presumed to be significant. The Administration will review a determination that a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge is not significant to assure its reasonableness.

Where Federal lands or other public land holdings (e.g., State forests) are administered under statutes permitting management for multiple uses, and, in fact, are managed for multiple uses, Section 4(f) applies only to those portions of such lands which function for, or are designated in the plans of the administering agency as being for, significant park, recreation, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge purposes. The determination of which lands so function or are so designated, and the significance of those lands, shall be made by the official(s) with jurisdiction over the Section 4(f) resource. The Administration will review this determination to assure its reasonableness.

In determining the applicability of Section 4(f) to historic sites, the Administration, in cooperation with the applicant, will consult with the official(s) with jurisdiction to identify all properties on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (National Register). The Section 4(f) requirements apply to historic sites on or eligible for the National Register unless the Administration determines that an exception under § 774.13 applies.

The Section 4(f) requirements apply only to historic sites on or eligible for the National Register unless the Administration determines that the application of Section 4(f) is otherwise appropriate.

The Interstate System is not considered to be a historic site subject to Section 4(f), with the exception of those individual elements of the Interstate System formally identified by FHWA for Section 4(f) protection on the basis of national or exceptional historic significance.

Section 4(f) applies to all archeological sites on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register, including those discovered during construction, except as set forth in § 774.13(b).

Section 4(f) applies to those portions of federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers that are otherwise eligible as historic sites, or that are publicly owned and function as, or are designated in a management plan as, a significant park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge. All other applicable requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, 16 U.S.C. 1271-1287, must be satisfied, independent of the Section 4(f) approval.

When a property formally reserved for a future transportation facility temporarily functions for park, recreation, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge purposes in the interim, the interim activity, regardless of duration, will not subject the property to Section 4(f).

When a property is formally reserved for a future transportation facility before or at the same time a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge is established, and concurrent or joint planning or development of the transportation facility and the Section 4(f) resource occurs, then any resulting impacts of the transportation facility will not be considered a use as defined in § 774.17.

Formal reservation of a property for a future transportation use can be demonstrated by a document of public record created prior to or contemporaneously with the establishment of the park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge. Examples of an adequate document to formally reserve a future transportation use include:

A map of public record that depicts a transportation facility on the property;

A land use or zoning plan depicting a transportation facility on the property; or

A fully executed real estate instrument that references a future transportation facility on the property.

Concurrent or joint planning or development can be demonstrated by a document of public record created after, contemporaneously with, or prior to the establishment of the Section 4(f) property. Examples of an adequate document to demonstrate concurrent or joint planning or development include:

A document of public record that describes or depicts the designation or donation of the property for both the potential transportation facility and the Section 4(f) property; or

A map of public record, memorandum, planning document, report, or correspondence that describes or depicts action taken with respect to the property by two or more governmental agencies with jurisdiction for the potential transportation facility and the Section 4(f) property, in consultation with each other.