Saturday, December 18, 2010

Proposed Revisions To Short & Full Environmental Forms

The public comment period for proposed revisions to the Short and Full Environmental Assessment Forms (EAFs) used by governmental agencies and boards to assess the environmental significance of actions reviewed under State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) regulations has opened. These forms are a critical part of the process that determines whether a full SEQR Environmental Impact Statement is needed for a particular project or action.

Many of the proposed revisions could be considered to have EJ implications. OEJ suggests that EJ stakeholders pay particular attention to:

EAF Part One - Section D.2. Project Operations; and Section E.1. Land Uses On and Surrounding the Project Site

EAF Part Two - Section 16. Impact on Human Health; Section 17. Consistency with Community Plans; and Section 18. Consistency with Community Character
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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proposing revisions to both the Short and Full Environmental Assessment Forms (EAFs) used by governmental agencies and boards to assess the environmental significance of actions reviewed under State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) regulations (6 NYCRR 617). The existing EAFs are out-of-date and no longer adequately serve the purposes for which they were created.

The notice for this action can be found in the November 24, 2010 issue of the Environmental Notice Bulletin (ENB)
A legislative public hearing for this action will be held on January 25, 2011 at 1:00 pm in Room 129 at the offices of the NYS DEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233. Comments on the Full and Short EAF and supporting documents will be accepted by the Department until close of business, February 18, 2011. Please submit comments to Mr. Robert Ewing at the address listed below. Comments may also be submitted via the web to: depprmt@gw.dec.state.ny.us . Please include EAF Comments in the subject line of the e-mail.

The draft revised EAF forms, associated rulemaking documents and the negative declaration are published in full at the following web address: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/70293.html

For further information, contact:

Robert Ewing
NYS DEC - Division of Environmental Permits
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-1750
Phone: (518) 402-9167
E-mail: depprmt@gw.dec.state.ny.us

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