Definitions

The following words and terms have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Acquisition for Construction" means a gift, lease, or purchase of land or rights thereto, for the purpose of building a new state facility.

"Construction" means any act of site preparation, including clearing and grading, or excavation,or erection of a structure for the purpose of building a major state facility.

"Director" means the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality.

"Environment" means the natural, scenic and historic attributes of Virginia.

"Environmental Assessment (EA)" means an assessment of environmental impacts accordingto National Environmental Policy Act requirements. It is a federally requireddocument that contains information about proposed federal agency actions, programs, grants,and permits that may significantly affect the environment, and the significance of the impacts. The Environmental Assessment can serve as the basis for determining the necessity of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement.

"Environmental Impact Report (EIR)" means the document mandated by Code of Virginia � 10.1-1188. The document must be prepared by a state agency proposing to construct a majorstate facility or acquire land for construction.

"Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)" means a federally required document that fullyaddresses environmental impacts, alternatives, and mitigation measures.

"Major State Project" means the acquisition of an interest in land for construction of any statefacility, or the construction of any state facility, or expansion of an existing facility costing over$100,000.

"Proponent Agency" means the agency that will build, occupy, or be the primary user of facilityonce it is completed.

"Virginia Outdoors Plan" means the comprehensive outdoor recreation and open space planprepared by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

"Direct Impacts" are those impacts caused by the proposed action that occur at the same time and place.

"Indirect Impacts" are caused or induced by the action but occur later in time or are removed in distance.

"Cumulative Impacts" are the impacts on the environment that result from the incremental effect of the proposed action added to other past, present, or reasonable foreseeable future action.