§ 62B — Environmental impact reports; preparation and submission; funding

Section 62B. In the case of projects directly undertaken by an agency, the environmental impact report shall be prepared and submitted by the responsible agency. If two or more agencies are responsible, a joint report shall be prepared and submitted by the agency designated by the secretary of environmental affairs. In the case of projects which require a permit or financial assistance from an agency, said report shall be prepared and submitted by the person or agency seeking the permit or financial assistance.Public funds made available for the purpose of design of or planning or undertaking a project subject to sections sixty-two to sixty-two H, inclusive, may be expended for the research, preparation, and publication of the report and expenses incidental thereto, and said funds may be transferred or otherwise may be made available to other agencies designated by the secretary of environmental affairs to evaluate the draft or final report.An environmental impact report shall contain: (i) statements describing the nature and extent of the proposed project and its environmental and public health impact as result of any development, alteration and operation of the project; (ii) studies to evaluate said impacts; (iii) all measures being utilized to minimize any anticipated environment and public health damage; (iv) any adverse short-term and long-term environmental and public health consequences that cannot be avoided should the project be undertaken; and (v) reasonable alternatives to the proposed project and their environmental consequences. The secretary shall encourage agencies and persons to commence preparation of reports during the initial planning and design phase of projects. Said report shall be prepared and disseminated to inform the originating or permitting agency, reviewing agencies, the appropriate regional planning commission, the attorney general and the public of the environmental consequences of state actions and the alternatives thereto prior to any commitment of state funds for and prior to the commencement of the project if undertaken by an agency or prior to the issuance of any permit or grant of financial assistance for the project if undertaken by a person.An environmental impact report shall be required for any project that is likely to cause damage to the environment and is located within a distance of 1 mile of an environmental justice population; provided, that for a project that impacts air quality, such environmental impact report shall be required if the project is likely to cause damage to the environment and is located within a distance of 5 miles of an environmental justice population. Said report shall contain statements about the results of an assessment of any existing unfair or inequitable environmental burden and related public health consequences impacting the environmental justice population from any prior or current private, industrial, commercial, state, or municipal operation or project that has damaged the environment. The required assessment shall conform to the standards and guidelines established by the secretary. If the assessment indicates an environmental justice population is subject to an existing unfair or inequitable environmental burden or related health consequence the report shall identify any: (i) environmental and public health impact from the proposed project that would likely result in a disproportionate adverse effect on such population; and (ii) potential impact or consequence from the proposed project that would increase or reduce the effects of climate change on the environmental justice population. The secretary may require that an assessment be performed at any stage of the review process.