Environmental Impact Statement

The environmental impact statement is a document that the federal government requires from people who intend to develop in a new area. In some cases, a state might have its own requirements in addition to the federal environmental impact statement. The idea is that the developer must evaluate and report on how his development will impact the surrounding environment. This might include a report on what it will do to local wildlife or what it might do to the plants in the area. In many instances, the environmental impact statement is simply another procedure that must be fulfilled. However, people who build in especially sensitive areas will sometimes have trouble getting approval. This is especially true around the coasts and in wetland areas. Those who develop properties in rural areas outside of traditional animal sanctuaries usually have little to worry about.