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(a) If the environmental assessment indicates the proposed action will significantly impact the quality of the natural environment, the Environmental Department shall prepare a draft environmental impact statement concerning the proposed action. The draft environmental impact statement shall include:

(1) A description of the proposed action, its purposes and the environment which will be affected;

(2) A description of any effect it may have on population or growth;

(3) The relationship of the proposed action to land use plans for the affected area;

(4) The positive and negative, known and probable, effects of the proposed action on the environment. This should include secondary as well as primary effects;

(5) Alternatives to the proposed action that might reduce or eliminate adverse impacts, including sufficient analysis of the environmental benefits, costs and risks of such alternatives;

(6) A brief section summarizing environmental effects that are adverse and unavoidable;

(7) A brief discussion of the extent to which the proposed action involves trade-offs between short-term gains at the expense of long-term environmental losses, or vice versa; and

(8) A description of impacts that irreversibly curtail the range of potential uses of the environment.

(b) The Environmental Department shall, together with any cooperating departments, utilize a systematic, interdisciplinary approach, which will insure the integrated use of Yurok traditional ecological and cultural knowledge, science, planning and decision-making.

(c) The Environmental Department shall identify and develop methods and procedures that will ensure that presently unquantified environmental amenities and values may be given appropriate consideration in decision-making along with economic and technical considerations.

(d) The Environmental Department shall publicly notify release of the draft environmental impact statement and provide a 60-day period, from the date of notice, within which the public can submit written comments and request a public hearing. The Environmental Department may grant a 15-day extension when it believes such an extension is necessary. Copies of all comments shall be kept in the Tribal Office for public inspection.

(e) Any public hearing on a draft environmental impact statement shall be conducted no more than 90 days after public notice is given.

(1) Copies of the draft EIS shall be kept in the Tribal Office for public inspection.

(2) Copies shall be provided electronically.

(3) Copies shall be provided at no more than the cost of printing and mailing.

(f) After receipt of written comments and a public hearing, if any is requested, the Environmental Department shall prepare a final EIS which takes into account, assesses, and responds to all comments received. The final EIS should make meaningful reference to any opposing view not adequately discussed in the draft EIS and should indicate the Environmental Department’s response to the issues raised.

(g) The final EIS shall be presented to Tribal Council in a Council action or equivalent meeting, and shall take effect within 30 days of the meeting, unless Tribal Council enacts a joint resolution of disapproval within the 30-day time period.

(h) The final EIS shall be publicly notified and be provided electronically to any party who submitted comments. [Ord. 62 § 4204, amended, 10/3/2019; Ord. 59 § 4204, adopted, 6/6/2019.]