Acadia Center Submits Comments on the Draft Standards and Guidelines for Cumulative Impacts Analysis (CIA) in Massachusetts

Acadia Center recently submitted written comments on the draft standards and guidelines for Cumulative Impact Analysis prepared by the Office of Environmental Justice and Equity of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), as part of the new consolidated siting and permitting process in MA. Acadia Center strongly advises that the cumulative impact analysis process encourage project applicants to exhaustively pursue measures to avoid negative impacts on a burdened area when proposing a new project. Acadia Center applauds the Office of Environmental Justice and Equity for developing the MassEnvironScreen as a tool for preparing cumulative impact analysis reports for projects. Acadia Center recommends that the tool include life expectancy as a variable in ascertaining socioeconomic factors for the population characteristics in the MassEnviroScreen.