Riverkeeper & coalition submit comments to protect NYS environmental review process
Under new regulations proposed by the Department of Environmental Conservation, a key part of the environmental review process would be removed, disempowering governmental entities and the public in favor of large developers and industry.
The environmental impact statement drafting process is a crucial part of environmental reviews. It was through multiple drafts of the environmental impact statement on hydraulic fracturing that staff at the Department of Environmental Conservation reviewed new studies and realized fracking would have a devastating impact on human health and must be banned.
Under the new regulations, agencies in charge of environmental reviews could be prevented from subjecting their preliminary conclusions on such “new” issues to public review and comment before finalizing. The public and other involved agencies would therefore be left without a meaningful opportunity to review, fully understand, and voice their opinions on any significant environmental information that is missing or inadequately assessed in a flawed draft environmental impact statement.
On Friday, May 19, Riverkeeper submitted comments on behalf of Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, Inc., Earthjustice, Environmental Advocates of New York, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., the Natural Resources Defense Council, New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), Riverkeeper, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, regarding the DEC’s proposed modifications to the SEQRA regulations.
Read the letter: