THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Title 21 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
TITLE 21. MISCELLANEOUS.
CHAPTER 21-2600. ADMINISTRATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.
§ 21-2601. Requests for and Preparation of Administrative Environmental Assessments.
An Administrative Environmental Assessment shall be prepared for any pending ordinance upon the request of any member of City Council. Such a request shall be made to the Chief Clerk, who shall forward the bill to the Director of Sustainability.
The Director of Sustainability shall, with the assistance of other City officials such as the Director of Commerce and private industry as may be necessary, prepare and submit to the Clerk of Council an Administrative Environmental Assessment regarding the bill by the later of thirty (30) days from receipt of a bill forwarded pursuant to Section 21-2601(1) or the first committee hearing on the bill. The form of an Administrative Environmental Assessment shall be as set forth in the attached Exhibit "A." The Director of Sustainability shall ensure that the Administrative Environmental Assessment is completed in a comprehensive manner unless the Director concludes that the legislation will have a negligible impact on the environment.
After the adoption of any amendment to such a bill, the Chief Clerk shall forward the amended bill to the Director of Sustainability, who shall provide an assessment in the same manner as she would with respect to the original bill.
Upon receipt of the Assessment, the Chief Clerk shall distribute it to all members of City Council and make it publicly available.
The lack of preparation of an Administrative Environmental Assessment requested pursuant to this section shall not preclude the final adoption of a bill.
Exhibit “A”
Philadelphia Administrative Environmental Assessment
Date:
Bill No.:
Title:
Prepared by:
Section 1: Provide an analysis of the relationship of the proposed legislation to the long-term goals set forth in the Greenworks Philadelphia Plan, including, but not limited to, clean and efficient energy usage; quality natural resources; air and water quality; waste generation, including waste by volume and waste by weight; and Green House Gas emissions.
Section 2: Provide a “No Action Alternative” analysis to identify the expected environmental impact if existing conditions were left as is with no action taken.
End