Q. 3, Short EAF (Part 1) Size Of Project
Short Environmental Assessment Form Workbook
___________ acres
b. Total acreage to be physically disturbed?
___________ acres
c. Total acreage (project site and any contiguous properties) owned or controlled by the applicant or project sponsor?
___________acres
Background Information
This question helps reviewers understand the extent or scale of a project. The lead agency can use this question to determine what percentage of the total parcel is to be disturbed. Disturbed lands include those that are to be graded, cleared, or built upon. Project's that are large in scale, or that will cause physical disturbance to a large percentage of the parcel may have more potential for adverse environmental impacts.
Disclosing the amount of acreage owned or under the control of the project sponsor is also important because it can help the lead agency determine if there is potential that the project could be part of a larger plan or a future proposed action. If the project is part of a larger plan or future project, then the lead agency may need to expand their evaluation to prevent a segmented environmental review of the project. For additional information on project segmentation as it applies to SEQR, refer to chapter 2, section D of the SEQR Handbook (PDF) (1.9MB).
Answering the Question
Applicants can find the total acreage of the site from a survey of the parcel, if one is required, or from the real property tax map. The real property tax map can be obtained from the local town, village, or city tax assessor's office. If a survey of the parcel has been prepared, the acreage of the proposed physical disturbance should be shown. If no survey has been completed, the applicant should estimate the amount of land to be disturbed.
Examples for estimating area
- One acre = 43,560 square feet
- One acre is an area about 210 feet by 210 feet
- One mile = 5,280 feet
- The area of a football field, including the end-zones, is about 1.3 acres
- A quarter mile long driveway with a 25 foot wide construction width (which may include grading the road bed, drainage, and installing utilities) will disturb an area of more than three-fourths of an acre.
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