A coalition of environmental groups are requesting an extension for Micron’s Draft Environmental Review. However, the county executive claims the amount of days scheduled are already extended.
Micron plans to break ground in November for construction on its massive semiconductor chip fab. Before that happens, an Environmental Impact Statement must be completed. The county presently has the draft version from Micron known as the DEIS and plans to release it in early June. The county executive said the government intends to extend the public comment period.
“We weren’t involved with the Micron report. Micron and their professionals were. We needed to make sure we’re comfortable to push that forward for the public to comment. And that’s what the teams are working on and then there’s going to be 45 days of public comment which is 50 percent more than what we normally allow for,” he said.
State law requires a minimum of 30 days for public comment. However, since the project relies on federal funds, the minimum public comment period is legally 45 days.
Syracuse’s Sierra Club chapter’s director Don Hughes says an environmental coalition has asked the county for an even longer period which he says would allow for at least five public hearings to gather adequate public input.
“That’s our suggestion is 120 days. But, they could say ok, we’ll extend it to 90 days. that would be better than 45 days. And this is a monumental project that effects a whole range of issues from environmental contamination of water to air.”
WAER news spoke with an environmental legal expert who says the club’s request for an extension is reasonable. Meanwhile, McMahon says the county will run the public comment period for 45 days, which is in compliance with the federal Draft Environmental Impact Statement laws.