Rethinking The EIS In New York

Environmental Impact Statements are great for consultants who produce them, but do they do any environmental good?

1 minute read

July 21, 2004, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"The statement has become a boon for consultants who churn them out according to formulas as if they were SUVs on an assembly line."

"Overhaul of the environmental review system is long overdue. Even more importantly, city government needs to develop a broad environmental planning framework that looks at long-term multi-generational indicators of environmental quality -- such as Seattle's Agenda 21. Right now, New York City jumps from one project to the next without a clear strategic plan. Every mayor seems to have a development plan made up of their pet projects. But we have never had an environmental mayor with a serious strategy for reducing energy use, waste, and pollution, or solving the city's chronic public health epidemics."

Thanks to ArchNewsNow

Tuesday, July 20, 2004 in The Gotham Gazette

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