State Environmental Quality Review
The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) is New York State’s fundamental environmental protection law, and can be found in 6 NYCRR §617. It requires government agencies to consider the potential environmental impacts of actions they propose before making any decision to take or fund those actions. The goal of SEQR is to avoid or limit possible negative impacts on the environment from proposed actions. SEQR requires the sponsoring or approving agencies to identify and mitigate the significant environmental impacts of the activity it is proposing.
From 6 NYCRR §617.1(c):
“The basic purpose of SEQR is to incorporate the consideration of environmental factors into the existing planning, review and decision-making processes… SEQR requires that all agencies determine whether the actions they directly undertake, fund or approve may have a significant impact on the environment, and, if it is determined that the action may have a significant adverse impact, prepare, or request an environmental impact statement.”
SEQR and UB
The University at Buffalo Comprehensive Physical Plan has been classified as a Type I Action (see glossary) under the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR). Because several agencies are involved in the SEQR process, SUNY/UB sought Lead Agency Status for the project. A full Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) was completed and sent to involved agencies, commencing a coordinated review of the Comprehensive Physical Plan. SUNY/UB was established as Lead Agency in September 2008 and will make a Determination of Significance for the plan’s environmental impacts.
SUNY/UB will prepare a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for the Comprehensive Physical Plan. Involved and interested agencies, faculty, staff and students, as well as the public, will be given opportunities to be involved in the SEQR process. UB’s Draft Comprehensive Physical Plan was unveiled on November 19th, 2008 and a Public Scoping Meeting scheduled for January 22, 2009 to solicit comments on the draft scope of work for the Draft GEIS. Once finalized, SUNY/UB will use the scope of work to generate a Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement in early 2009. A Public Hearing on the Draft EIS will then be held to obtain public comments and facilitate finalization of GEIS in the Spring of 2009.