Sprawling development is destroying our watershed communities and our critical drinking water supply. Sprawl’s greatest threat to water quality is the attendant increase in impervious surfaces, primarily pavement. Its impact is documented in Threats to the Watershed.

To protect water quality and watershed communities, Riverkeeper actively participates in the environmental review process when developments are proposed in the watershed. We work hard to stop the most egregious project from being built and ensure that the environmental impacts of those are built are minimized by advocating for reduced project size and use of progressive building technologies and practices.

To impact project design, Riverkeeper actively participates in the review process required bt the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). SEQRA requires that the potential environmental impacts of government actions, such as approving a development project, are thoroughly considered and given a "hard look" by the reviewing agency or board. The SEQRA process allows for public participation, so that government agencies can make a fully informed decision.

Riverkeeper comments on various development proposals are posted throughout this section. These letters capture our SEQRA comments addressing each of the three main public participation phases: scoping, draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), and final environmental impact statement (FEIS). Other issues, such as a Low-Impact Alternative for the proposed MBIA Headquarters expansion, also are posted.