Enacting SEQRA: The Legislative Debates and a 25-Year Look Back

Between 1970 and 1975, New York enacted over a dozen new environmental laws, including the codification of the Environmental Conservation Law, the adoption of the Tidal Wetlands Act, and the creation of the Adirondack Park Agency. Although the early 1970s brought many new environmental laws, "New York [still] lagged behind in establishing an across- the-board procedure which would resolve . . . two missing elements in New York's environmental regulatory scheme: a generally applicable environmental evaluation procedure and a general standard for decision-making which would balance environmental concerns against social and economic concerns." The legislature attempted to fill these gaps with SEQRA. The following article details out the legislative debates around SEQRA, public relations to the bill, the governor's signing of SEQRA, and lastly, the phased implementation of SEQRA.