(a) The term “Federal agency activity” means any functions performed by or on behalf of a Federal agency in the exercise of its statutory responsibilities. The term “Federal agency activity” includes a range of activities where a Federal agency makes a proposal for action initiating an activity or series of activities when coastal effects are reasonably foreseeable, e.g., a Federal agency's proposal to physically alter coastal resources, a plan that is used to direct future agency actions, a proposed rulemaking that alters uses of the coastal zone. “Federal agency activity” does not include the issuance of a federal license or permit to an applicant or person (see subparts D and E of this part) or the granting of federal assistance to an applicant agency (see subpart F of this part).

(b) The term federal “development project” means a Federal agency activity involving the planning, construction, modification, or removal of public works, facilities, or other structures, and includes the acquisition, use, or disposal of any coastal use or resource.

(c) The Federal agency activity category is a residual category for federal actions that are not covered under subparts D, E, or F of this part.

(d) A general permit proposed by a Federal agency is subject to this subpart if the general permit does not involve case-by-case or individual issuance of a license or permit by a Federal agency. When proposing a general permit, a Federal agency shall provide a consistency determination to the relevant management programs and request that the State agency(ies) provide the Federal agency with review, and if necessary, conditions, based on specific enforceable policies, that would permit the State agency to concur with the Federal agency's consistency determination. State agency concurrence shall remove the need for the State agency to review individual uses of the general permit for consistency with the enforceable policies of management programs. Federal agencies shall, pursuant to the consistent to the maximum extent practicable standard in § 930.32, incorporate State conditions into the general permit. If the State agency's conditions are not incorporated into the general permit or a State agency objects to the general permit, then the Federal agency shall notify potential users of the general permit that the general permit is not available for use in that State unless an applicant under subpart D of this part or a person under subpart E of this part, who wants to use the general permit in that State provides the State agency with a consistency certification under subpart D of this part and the State agency concurs. When subpart D or E of this part applies, all provisions of the relevant subpart apply.

(e) The terms “Federal agency activity” and “Federal development project” also include modifications of any such activity or development project which affect any coastal use or resource, provided that, in the case of modifications of an activity or development project which the State agency has previously reviewed, the effect on any coastal use or resource is substantially different than those previously reviewed by the State agency.