Sec.22a-1a-7. Post-scoping notice

(a) Not more than six months after the close of the public scoping comment period, a sponsoring agency shall publish a post-scoping notice in the Environmental Monitor that shall indicate whether the agency intends to prepare an environmental impact evaluation or, if unable to publish a post-scoping notice within this six-month period, the sponsoring agency shall publish an update as to the action status and an estimate as to when a post-scoping notice will be published. Such an update shall be published at six-month intervals until the post-scoping notice is published.

(b) Prior to a decision and the publication of a post-scoping notice, the sponsoring agency shall consult with all state agencies and municipalities that submitted substantive comments during the public scoping process.

(c) The post-scoping notice shall be on a form required for publication in the Environmental Monitor and shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) The date that the notice of public scoping was published in the Environmental Monitor;

(2) The date of the public scoping meeting, if one was held;

(3) A summary of the comments received during the public comment period;

(4) The sponsoring agency’s responses to the comments received. Such responses may include a commitment to substantively address some or all comments in the environmental impact evaluation in accordance with section 22a-1a-8(f)(7) of the CEPA regulations; and

(5) A statement that the agency will, or will not, be preparing an environmental impact evaluation in accordance with section 22a-1a-8 of the CEPA regulations.

(d) If the sponsoring agency determines it will not prepare an environmental impact evaluation after public scoping, the post-scoping notice shall also include:

(1) A completed environmental review checklist, and

(2) The supporting discussion and analysis of the action’s effects on the environment in consideration of all factors listed in section 22a-1a-3 of the CEPA regulations.

(Effective November 6, 1978; Amended September 9, 2019)