SEQRA Amendments Require Planning Boards To Consider Environmental Impacts On Disadvantaged Communities

Anyone who has sat through a site plan review knows the rhythm. Traffic counts. Drainage. Parking ratios. Setbacks and buffers. An environmental assessment form gets completed, the board issues a determination of significance, and the application moves to the next stage.

That rhythm changed on June 12.

On that date, amendments to New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act regulations took effect. The amendments require every lead agency conducting a SEQRA review to consider whether a proposed action may cause or increase a disproportionate pollution burden on a disadvantaged community. A lead agency is whichever body holds the greatest jurisdiction over a project. In most local land use matters, that body is the planning board sitting in your village or town.