New York Proposes State Environmental Quality Review Act Amendments to Implement Environmental Justice Siting Law Provisions
Environmental attorneys Jose Almanzar, Meaghan Colligan Hembree, Alexandra Ward and Amy O'Brien co-authored an article featured in the Real Estate Finance Journal analyzing New York's proposed amendments to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to implement the Environmental Justice Siting Law. The article highlights that these amendments would require lead review agencies to consider greenhouse gas and pollution burdens in disadvantaged communities, streamline SEQRA reviews for certain small-scale multifamily housing developments and integrate new definitions and analytical tools – such as the Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Assessment Tool – into the review process. The authors outline the potential impacts on industries including real estate development, manufacturing, wastewater treatment, renewable energy and waste facilities, as well as explain how the reforms could shift project design, planning and community engagement for developments in New York State.
The attorneys also published a Holland & Knight alert on this topic.