§ 401.53 - Applicant's environmental report.

Upon receipt of the report, the Executive Director shall prepare an environmental assessment of the action. Additional information, studies, maps, etc., may be requested from the applicant. The environmental assessment will be the basis for the determination of the need for an environmental impact statement. A supplemental guideline covering the substantive contents of an environmental report will be made available to all applicants. In brief, an environmental report will include the following:

(a) A description of the proposed action, including the decision-making process, discussing alternatives to illustrate why the proposed action was chosen.

(b) A description of the existing environmental setting without the proposed action.

(c) The probable anticipated environmental impact primary and secondary, including both beneficial and unavoidable adverse effects from the proposed action and the basis for the conclusion. Resources irreversibly and irretrievably committed should be identified.

(d) All reasonable alternatives to the proposed action that have been considered including that of no action.

(e) An evaluation of environmental benefits, costs and risks, including short-term uses versus long-term productivity, weighing the proposed action and the alternatives considered against the quality of the human environment.

(f) Any other information, data, maps, charts, etc., which may be requested by the Commission for use in their analysis of the proposed action.