Legal Definitions - negative declaration

Negative Declaration

A negative declaration is a decision made by a local government, such as a city council, stating that a proposed project or development will not have any significant impact on the environment. This means that the developer is not required to prepare and submit an "environmental impact report."

Example 1: A developer wants to build a small park in a residential area. The city council reviews the proposal and determines that the park will not have any significant impact on the environment. They issue a negative declaration, and the developer can proceed with the project without having to prepare an environmental impact report.

Example 2: A company wants to build a large factory near a river. The city council reviews the proposal and determines that the factory will have a significant impact on the environment. They do not issue a negative declaration, and the developer must prepare and submit an environmental impact report before proceeding with the project.

A negative declaration is a decision made by a local government that a proposed project will not have any significant impact on the environment. This means that the developer does not have to prepare and submit an environmental impact report, which can save time and money. However, if the local government determines that the project will have a significant impact on the environment, they will not issue a negative declaration, and the developer must prepare and submit an environmental impact report before proceeding with the project.