NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS April 8, 2026 Vermont Housing & Conservation Board 58 East State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 802-828-2423 Telephone Number of Healthy and Lead-Safe Homes Program Director On or about April 20, 2026 the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control funds under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, as amended, to undertake the following multi-year program/project: VHCB Healthy and Lead-Safe Homes Program for the purpose of releasing Program funds that will be used to provide lead base paint associated reduction services in residential units in the State of Vermont. The VHCB Healthy and Lead Safe Homes Program proposes the following: (1) lead remediation of 110 units in Vermont; (2) outreach and education to raise awareness of lead paint hazards; and, (3) to sponsor lead-safe work practices and other related professional training for construction workers, maintenance personnel, property owners and low-income individuals. All units assisted will be occupied by households at or below 80% of the area median household income that have a child under the age of 6, or a pregnant female. The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board is requesting the release of $5,000,000. The proposed lead testing and lead abatement activities to be funded under this Program are categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act requirements, but subject to compliance with some of the environmental laws and authorities listed at §58.5 of 24 CFR Part 58. In accordance with §58.15, a tiered review process has been structured, whereby some environmental laws and authorities have been reviewed and studied for the intended target area(s) listed above. Compliance with other applicable environmental laws and authorities will be met when individual projects are reviewed, i.e., Flood Insurance, Historic Preservation, Contamination/Toxics. Should individual aggregate projects exceed the threshold for categorical exclusion detailed at §58.35(a), an Environmental Assessment will be completed and a separate Finding of No Significant Impact and Request for Release of Funds published. Copies of the compliance documentation worksheets are available at the address below. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this Program is on file at Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, 58 East State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 (or email leadcor@vhcb.org to request an electronic copy) and may be examined or copied weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board Healthy and Lead-Safe Homes Program. All comments received by April 20, 2026, will be considered by the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board prior to authorizing submission of a Request for Release of Funds and Environmental Certification to HUD. RELEASE OF FUNDS The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board certifies to HUD that Gustave Seelig in his official capacity as Executive Director consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD's approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board to utilize federal funds and implement the Program. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will consider objections to its release of funds and the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board's certification for a period of fifteen days following either the anticipated submission date (cited above) or HUD's actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if the objections are on one of the following bases: (a) that the Certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board; (b) the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58), and may be addressed to HUD and sent to the email address: OLHCHHPECOS@hud.gov Gustave Seelig, Executive Director April 12 2026 LBUR0496182