The Environmental Resource Inventory: ERI

1 1 The Environmental ResourceInventory: ERIThe Environmental Resource inventory (ERI),also called a Natural Resource inventory (NRI), orIndex of Natural Resources, is a compilation oftext and visual information about the naturalresource characteristics and environmentalfeatures of an ERI is an unbiased report of integrateddata. It provides baseline documentation formeasuring and evaluating Resource protectionissues. The ERI is an objective index and descrip-tion of features and their functions, rather thanan interpretation or recommendation. Identifyingsignificant Environmental resources is the firststep in their protection and ERI is an important tool for environmentalcommissions, open space committees, planningboards and zoning boards of adjustment.

2 Theplanning board should adopt the ERI as part ofthe municipal master plan, either as an appendixor as part of a master plan conservation part of the master plan, the ERI can providethe foundation and documentation for the devel-opment of Resource protection ordinances andresource-based land use ERI is a dynamic document, not cast inconcrete. The commission should add to, reviseand refine it as members gain knowledge andmore data become available. The ERI is a note-book of the accumulated information about Authority for ERIsTwo New Jersey state laws give environmentalcommissions the authority and responsibility forconducting Environmental Commission Enabling Legisla-tion ( 40.)

3 56A) states that under this act shall have power to conductresearch into the use and possible use of the openland areas of the It shall keep anindex of all open marshlands, swamps and otherwetlands, in order to obtain information on theproper use of such areas, and may from time to timerecommend to the planning board, or, if none, tothe mayor and governing body of the municipality,plans and programs for inclusion in a municipalmaster plan and the development and use of suchareas. The Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) ( :55D-1 et seq.) requires municipalities to have aland use plan element in their master plan, includ-ing but not necessarily limited to, topography, soilconditions, water supply, drainage, flood plain areas,marshes, and ( 40:55D-28b(2)).

4 The MLUL also states that, Whenever the envi-ronmental commission has prepared and submittedto the planning board and to the board of adjust-ment an index of the natural resources of the mu-nicipality, the planning board or the board ofadjustment shall make available to the environmentalcommission an informational copy of every applica-tion for development submitted to either board, ( 40:55D-27b). The MLUL, however, goes onThe Environmental Resource inventory : ERIRESOURCEPAPERASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEYENVIRONMENTAL Box 157 Mendham, NJ 07945 Tel: 973-539-7547 Fax: 973-539-7713 Website: UPMEYER Resource PAPER COLLECTION2B.

5 PRETZto say, Failure of the planning board or board ofadjustment to make such informational copyavailable to the Environmental commission shallnot invalidate any hearing or proceeding. What Does an ERI Include?An ERI has text, maps, tables, figures and graph-ics that describe and compare information on thenatural and Environmental characteristics andfeatures of an area. The basic ERI informationcovers climate, geology, geography/topography,soils, hydrology, vegetation, wildlife and habitat,critical areas and land use. It is important to in-clude a characterization of local relationships toregional resources such as open space, watersheds,surface and groundwater, and wetlands.

6 A morecomprehensive ERI might also include informationon historic and cultural factors, scenic areas, airquality, transportation, noise and contaminatedsites. In addition to text and maps, the ERI shouldinclude a bibliography of source Informationfor the ERIE nvironmental commissions will find that variouslocal, county, state or federal agencies, or privategroups or individuals have already collected mostof the basic information needed for an ERI. Thechallenge is to find out which information is , the information is available, but may needto be updated or translated into a usable your information search at town hall.

7 Themunicipal engineer, town clerk, planning boardand town planner should be able to help you locateexisting maps, documents and studies. The CountySoil Conservation District is also a good source oflocal data and information, as is the county plan-ning office. The NJDEP and USEPA have compre-hensive websites that post some data and also listtelephone numbers for departments you may wishto contact. NJDEP website: EPA website: maps are excellent sources of information,but the data on surface features such as wetlandsand vernal ponds, streams and steep slopes shouldbe field checked for t overlook Environmental Impact State-ments (EIS) as sources of information.

8 Federal andstate agencies usually prepare these studies formajor projects like roads, and municipalities oftenrequire an EIS from applicants for major subdivi-sions and site plans. An EIS includes inventoryinformation and shows how a particular proposalwill impact a parcel of land. Ask your planningboard or municipal clerk for copies of these ERI should include a series of maps, ideallyall at the same scale, showing relevant characteris-tics and features. Scale compatibility of maps is animportant consideration, as it will allow accuratecomparison from map to map, and use of acetateoverlays, if desired.

9 All maps contained in the ERIshould display a title, bar scale, scale ratio and mapping usually starts with a base map suchas a municipal tax map, also called a parcel map,which shows roads and individual properties. Manyindividual municipalities have digitized their parcelmaps, either in CAD (Computer-Aided Design) orGIS (Geographic Information System) standard type of base map is the NJGeological Survey (NJGS) Photo Quarter maps, at a scale of 1:12,000 (one inch on themap equals 1000 feet on the ground), are aerialimages with the geometric qualities of a map. Theyare available in paper form from the NJGS.

10 ContactNJDEP s Maps and Publications Office at 609-777-1038, or go to the NJGS website at ( ) for ordering information. For digitalphoto quarter quad downloads (which requireArcView software) see Aerials on the NJDEP GISwebpage ( ). For digital tax/parcel maps, check with the town clerk, engineeror PRETZIn an ERI, resources may be mapped individually( ; separate maps for wetlands, soils, historicproperties, etc.); or grouped by related characteris-tics, such as critical areas (steep slopes, rechargeareas, priority habitat areas, wetlands and floodplains) or water resources (surface waters, aqui-fers, wellhead protection areas and wells).