Under the terms of the certification required by § 58.71, a responsible entity's certifying officer is the “responsible Federal official” as that term is used in section 102 of NEPA and in statutory provisions cited in § 58.1(b). The Certifying Officer is therefore responsible for all the requirements of section 102 of NEPA and the related provisions in 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508, and 24 CFR part 58, including the related Federal authorities listed in § 58.5. The Certifying Officer must also:
(a) Represent the responsible entity and be subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal courts. The Certifying Officer will not be represented by the Department of Justice in court; and
(b) Ensure that the responsible entity reviews and comments on all EISs prepared for Federal projects that may have an impact on the recipient's program.