GEPA Process for Significant Resources (Historic)
Step #1: Assemble an environmental effects report (EER) which includes feedback from HPD. The report should be issued by a qualified consultant/professional.
Step #2: Place a legal notice in the legal organ (i.e. “Daily Report” for Fulton County) for one day, which starts the comment period for 30 days. The EER is required to be made available to the public (eg. courthouse or library) during normal business, 30 days from the date of publication of the notice.
Step #3: After 45 days from the date of publication of the notice, a copy of the EER and any feedback collected during the comment period should be forwarded to:
Georgia Environmental Protection Division Georgia Department of Natural Resources 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 1456 East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334
Step #4: A public hearing is required locally (same county of the government action), if 25 Georgia residents request it during the 30 day comment period. All written comments received or written/oral comments presented at a public hearing, if applicable, must be considered before reaching a decision. (Please note: BOR requires 25 requests for public hearing instead of 100 as stated in the GEPA Law)
Step #5: Campus official makes the final decision.
Step #6: Campus official sends the written ‘Notice of Decision’ to the Director of EPD (simple letter is fine), with a copy sent to the BOR Office of Facilities & Real Estate.
Step #7: Campus places a second legal notice, no earlier than 45 days from the original ad, in the local paper (organ) for one day announcing the ‘Notice of Decision’ of the proposed action (template attached). If no challenges are made in 30 days, then, in this case, the proposed action of demolition can commence provided the Executive Order for Demolition is issued from the Governor’s Office.
Board approval of the demolition request and completion of the above steps will enable our office to submit an Executive Order request to the Governor’s office. Generally, it takes about 2-3 weeks to receive the executed Executive Order, except during the legislative calendar, which requires additional time.