§ 401.55 - Negative declaration.

(a) A negative declaration may be issued by the Executive Director prior to taking any official action on a project which, as a result of an environmental assessment (§ 401.54), has been determined will not cause significant environmental impacts. The assessment will become a part of the project's records and be available for public inspection.

(b) Prior to the issuance of a negative declartion, the Executive Director shall publish notice of his intent to do so unless good cause to proceed with an environmental impact statement is submitted in writing by any interested person or agency within 15 days from the date of the notice publication.

(c) The negative declaration will include the environmental assessment, copies of any relevant correspondence and the official determination by the Executive Director that the proposed action is not a major action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

(d) Once a negative declaration has been made, the proposed project may immediately proceed to Commission action.

(e) When a negative declaration has been made for a proposed action ordinarily requiring the preparation of an environmental impact statement under the provisions of § 401.56, the declaration, complete with the environmental assessment, will be made available to the public.