Department of Environment & Conservation
Robert Martineau, Commissioner

Facilities Plan

A Facilities Plan must demonstrate the need for a proposed action, evaluate viable alternatives, and select the most cost-effective, implementable, and environmentally sound solution that will meet the public needs over the design life of the facility. A Facilities Plan must evaluate current and future demographics of the facilities planning area including land use, population, and flows and waste loads. A Facilities Plan must consider hydrologic, hydrogeologic, topographic, and institutional characteristics unique to the facilities planning area. A Facilities Plan must also demonstrate and document public participation in the decision-making process.

At a minimum, a Facilities Plan should contain information satisfying the Technical Information Requirements and the Environmental Information Requirements summarized by the following:

An Executive Summary

Detailed descriptions of the Purpose and Need

Existing and Future Effluent Limitations

Existing and Future Population and Flow Conditions

Development of Alternatives

An Evaluation of the Principal Alternatives

A Description of the Selected Alternative

The text of a Facilities Plan should be augmented with a topographic map of the project area and any other maps and figures necessary to graphically convey and support the technical and environmental information presented and the alternative(s) selected. Conclusions and recommendations provided in the Facilities Plan must be supported by the technical and environmental information presented therein.