Required Reading for Reiter

Got this last week from the DNR:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/SEPANonProject/Pages/amp_sepa_nonpro_reiter_jan.aspx

with particular attention to the Final Determination Documents:
Comment summary


Total Number of Emails Submitted: 320
Total Number of Comment Cards From the November 18, 2009 Public Meeting Submitted: 51
Total Comments Received: 371 (Includes some corresponding more
than once)
Total Number of November 18, 2009 Public Open House Attendees Who Signed In: 106

I find this kind of sad. Out of 106 people who signed in at the meeting, only 51 filled out comment cards.

So a determination of non-significance means they're closing it or just not going to modify it?

AdamGBabcock said:

So a determination of non-significance means they're closing it or just not going to modify it?

Click to expand...

Good Question! I think they're just going to modify it as the following form explains: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/amp_sepa_nonpro_reiter_nfd.pdf\

I found the following definition of DNS in the SEPA handbook which details the environmental review process.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sepa/handbk/hbch02.html#2.8

2.8 Issuing a Determination of Non-Significance

A determination of non-significance [The standard DNS form is found in the SEPA Rules, WAC 197-11-970. The form can be modified by the lead agency, but no informational fields should be omitted.] (DNS) is issued when the responsible official has determined that the proposal is unlikely to have significant adverse environmental impacts, or that mitigation has been identified that will reduce impacts to a non-significant level. (For help making the threshold determination, refer to section on how to Assess Significance.) The DNS may or may not require a public comment period and circulation to other agencies [WAC 197-11-340].
If the lead agency is a GMA city or county, there are specific restrictions under the Local Project Review Act on when a DNS can be issued during the "integrated review process." To avoid needless delays sometimes caused by these restrictions, the "Optional DNS Process" was added to the SEPA Rules.

So I think what the DNR is saying is the draft plan doesn't cause significant adverse environmental impact and minor modifications have been made. From here, I assume we move on to the next step in the environmental review which is Agency Decision, per the SEPA handbook.