State Environmental Quality Requirements
In the State of New York, all discretionary approvals issued by the state or a unit of local government require an environmental impact assessment. This process is referred to as the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR). While SEQR is a state requirement, it is administered by the local board with the authority to grant discretionary approval of proposed actions.

As it relates to land use, this means that local Planning and Zoning Boards of Appeals are responsible for administering SEQR for each project that comes before them.

For More Information
Both applicants and local board members may have questions related to SEQR. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has a number of publications available to help explain the process and make the administration of this requirement easier for both board members and applicants. The DEC materials can be found on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website.

Questions & Concerns
In addition, the Washington County Planning Department is available to answer questions on the applicability and procedures of SEQR for local board members and applicants alike. If you need more information about compliance of SEQR, feel free to contact the Planning Department.