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SEQRA guide: New York's environmental review, from the Full EAF to findings

SEQRA, New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act, requires state and local agencies to weigh environmental impacts before they approve, fund or undertake a discretionary action[1]. The lead agency classifies the action, reviews the sponsor's environmental assessment form (EAF), and issues a negative declaration or a positive declaration requiring an EIS[2].

By Ilya Volodarsky. 11 sources, last read on . This page explains the law; it is not legal advice.

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    Describe the project and ePlan drafts the Full EAF Part 1 answers, from the project description and approvals table to the site facts, for the sponsor to review and sign; every fact it can't confirm is marked for you.

    ePlan vs. by hand

    How ePlan compares to drafting a Full EAF Part 1 by hand

    The same document, two ways to a first draft.

    ComparedePlan.aiBy hand
    Starting pointePlan.aiYour project description and files, following the Full EAF Part 1 you upload or it findsBy handA blank 15-page form, answered question by question
    Precedent researchePlan.aiResearches agency project pages for your project and up to two similar onesBy handSearch town agendas and DEC notices by hand for comparable EAFs
    Missing factsePlan.aiEvery fact ePlan can't confirm stays a highlighted [INSERT] placeholder until someone fills itBy handGaps surface in review, or not at all
    Cost to startePlan.aiScoping letters are free. EAs, EIRs and decision memos are on Max at $199 a monthBy handStaff or consultant hours for every draft

    ePlan.ai as of October 2026. “By hand” means a Word template, past documents and agency PDFs. Your team reviews, edits and signs every draft.

    The SEQRA process, step by step

    Part 617's steps and clocks for a Type I or Unlisted action[2][4]:

    • Classify the action; a Type II action ends the review[2]
    • Set the lead agency within 30 days of the EAF reaching involved agencies; DEC's Commissioner settles disputes[2][4]
    • Determine significance within 20 days of becoming lead agency or getting needed information[2]
    • After a positive declaration: scoping, a draft EIS online, 30+ days of comment, optional hearing[2][4]
    • Final EIS within 45 days of the hearing or 60 of the draft, whichever is later[2]
    • Findings at least 10 days after the final EIS, within 30 with an applicant[2]

    Type I, Unlisted and SEQR Type II actions

    Type I actions (617.4), such as 200 or more homes on public water and sewer in a municipality of 150,000 or fewer, are presumed likely to have a significant adverse impact and need coordinated review. Type II actions (617.5) need no review. All others are Unlisted[2].

    Negative declaration, conditioned negative declaration or positive declaration

    The lead agency weighs the EAF against the 617.7(c) criteria and explains its determination in writing. One potentially significant adverse impact means a positive declaration and an EIS. A conditioned negative declaration, only for Unlisted actions with an applicant, needs a full EAF and 30 days of public comment[2].

    Example: on May 2, 2025 the New York State Gaming Commission issued a positive declaration for Freedom Plaza, a casino bid at 700-708 First Avenue in Manhattan. Its EAF review cited 1,500,000 tons of excavation, 69 months of construction and a 615-foot building with 1,517 parking spaces[5].

    What changed in NYS SEQR in 2026

    Budget amendments effective May 26, 2026 exempt qualified housing, parks and trails on disturbed sites, public school facilities in New York City, and some water and green infrastructure projects[6][7][8]. They allow one year from naming the lead agency to the significance decision, and, for actions involving a permit application, two years from a positive declaration to the final EIS[6][7][9].

    DEC's rules, effective in June 2026, add a significance criterion for pollution burdens on disadvantaged communities, a Type II category for small multifamily buildings, and new EAF forms[2][3][1].

    Outline

    What the Full EAF Part 1 asks, section by section

    Type I actions use the full EAF; most Unlisted actions, the short one[2]. The 2026 Full EAF Part 1 runs 15 pages; the 2020 SEQR Handbook predates it[10][11].

    1. A. Project and applicant/sponsor information

      Name, location map, a description with purpose or need, sponsor and property owner[10].

    2. B. Government approvals, funding or sponsorship

      Every approval or funding source, local to federal, with application dates; name every involved agency[10][2].

    3. C. Planning and zoning

      Plans, zoning and community services; a plan, law or rule adoption answers only C, F and G[10].

    4. D.1 Proposed and potential development

      Acres disturbed, phasing, subdivisions, housing units, nonresidential structures and impoundments[10].

    5. D.2 Project operations

      Excavation, water, wastewater, stormwater, air (greenhouse gases over 10,000 tons CO2e a year), traffic, energy, noise, light, waste[10].

    6. E.1 to E.3 Site and setting

      Land uses, contamination, soils, groundwater, agricultural districts, historic sites and critical environmental areas[10].

    7. E.4 Disadvantaged communities

      In or within half a mile of a disadvantaged community, and whether emissions, noise or waste may affect one[10].

    8. E.5 Future physical climate risks

      100- and 500-year floods, sea level rise, and added vulnerability to drought, temperature extremes, storms or erosion[10].

    9. F. Additional information and G. Verification

      Attachments, impacts the sponsor identified with measures to avoid them, and the signed certification[10].

    Sources

    Where each statement comes from

    Show all 11 sources
    1. [1]State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Read October 4, 2026.
    2. [2]6 NYCRR Part 617, State Environmental Quality Review (reproduction; revisions adopted April 24, 2026, effective June 11, 2026). New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Permits, June 11, 2026. Read October 2, 2026.
    3. [3]State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) Regulatory Revisions. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), April 24, 2026. Read October 4, 2026.
    4. [4]Stepping Through The SEQR Process. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Read October 2, 2026.
    5. [5]Updated SEQRA Positive Declaration: The Freedom Plaza Project (notice of public scoping and intent to prepare a draft EIS). New York State Gaming Commission, May 2, 2025. Read October 3, 2026.
    6. [6]SEQR Amendments (fact sheet on Part R of the enacted state budget). New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), May 26, 2026. Read October 4, 2026.
    7. [7]Environmental Conservation Law § 8-0111: Coordination of reporting; limitations; lead agency. New York State Senate, Consolidated Laws of New York, May 29, 2026. Read October 2, 2026.
    8. [8]Environmental Conservation Law § 8-0105: Definitions. New York State Senate, Consolidated Laws of New York, May 29, 2026. Read October 2, 2026.
    9. [9]N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 8-0109 - Preparation of environmental impact statement. New York State Senate, Open Legislation, May 29, 2026. Read October 4, 2026.
    10. [10]Full Environmental Assessment Form, Part 1: Project and Setting (FEAF 2026). New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Read October 2, 2026.
    11. [11]The SEQR Handbook, Fourth Edition. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Permits, March 2020. Read October 2, 2026.

    Written by

    Ilya Volodarsky

    Ilya Volodarsky founded ePlan.ai. He co-founded Segment and is co-founder and CEO of Wildfires.org.

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    • None in substance. DEC uses SEQR as the short name for SEQRA and for the review it requires.

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