Wisconsin Administrative Code
Technical College System Board
Chapter TCS 12 - Wisconsin environmental policy act procedures
Section TCS 12.02 - Definitions

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง TCS 12.02

Current through February 26, 2024

In this chapter:

(1) "Action" means any activity initiated by the board, or any activity subject to the regulation or approval of the board, which may affect the quality of the human environment.

(a) "Type I action" means a major action which significantly affects the quality of the human environment and requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS).

(b) "Type II action" means an action which may or may not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and requires the preparation of an environmental assessment (EA) to determine whether the action significantly affects the human environment and whether an EIS must be prepared.

(c) "Type III action" means an action which normally does not have the potential to cause significant environmental effects and normally does not involve unresolved conflicts in the use of available resources, and unless the board determines otherwise, an EA or EIS will not be prepared.

(2) "Alternatives" means other actions which may reasonably be available to achieve the same or altered purpose of the proposed action, including the alternative of no action.

(3) "Board" means the technical college system board.

(4) "CEQ" means the council on environmental quality.

(5) "DEIS" means draft environmental impact statement which is a preliminary format of the final environmental impact statement.

(6) "District" means a technical college district established under ch. 38, Stats.

(7) "EA" or "environmental assessment" means a brief but comprehensive analysis of a proposed Type II action to determine its environmental impact; to study, develop and describe alternatives; and to determine whether the proposed action constitutes a major action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment or involving unresolved conflicts in the use of available resources.

(8) "EIS" or "environmental impact statement" means a written report prepared pursuant to s. 1.11, Stats., in accordance with the CEQ guidelines, which contains an analysis of anticipated impacts of a proposed action upon the human environment, and alternatives to the proposed action. The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) is a preliminary format of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS).

(9) "FEIS" means final environmental impact statement.

(10) "Finding of no significant impact" means a completed environmental assessment which indicates that the proposed action is not a major action which will significantly affect the quality of the human environment and that no EIS is required.

(11) "Human environment" means all conditions and influences, natural and artificial, which surround and affect all organisms, including people.

(12) "Major action" means an action which will significantly affect the quality of the human environment.

(13) "NEPA" means the National Environmental Policy Act ( 42 U.S.C. s. 4321, et. seq.).

(14) "Resources" includes land, water, air, energy forms, plant life and wildlife, aesthetic, social, economic, historical and archeological factors, and labor and materials used in the proposed action.

(15) "Scoping" means an early process for identifying the anticipated range of issues to be addressed by an EIS, the extent to which the identified issues will be addressed, and the significant issues as seen by the public.

(16) "Significant effects" means the considerable and important impacts, beneficial or adverse, of actions on the quality of the human environment.

(17) "WEPA" means the Wisconsin Environment Policy Act, s. 1.11, Stats.

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