NJ EO 215 Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants

NJ EO 215 Key Terms & Definitions

CAFRA: The Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) is a New Jersey law that regulates development in coastal areas to protect natural resources and ensure that development is compatible with the environment. (N.J.S.A. 13:19-1 et seq.)

Categorical Exclusion: A category of actions that do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and are exempt from the requirement to prepare an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Environmental Assessment (EA): A concise public document that provides sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement or a Finding of No Significant Impact under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): A detailed written statement that describes the significant environmental impacts of a proposed action and its alternatives under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Environmental Justice: The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. (N.J.S.A. 13:1D-158)

Executive Order No. 215 (EO 215): The executive order signed by Governor Thomas Kean in 1989 that established the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review process for state-funded construction projects. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-1.1)

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI): A document that briefly presents the reasons why an action will not have a significant effect on the human environment and for which an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act: A New Jersey law that regulates activities in freshwater wetlands and their adjacent areas to protect these resources and their functions. (N.J.S.A. 13:9B-1 et seq.)

Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act: A New Jersey law that establishes the Highlands Region, a area of the state with exceptional natural resources, and provides for its protection and planning. (N.J.S.A. 13:20-1 et seq.)

Major Construction Project: Any project undertaken by a state agency that involves the construction of new facilities, or the expansion or rehabilitation of existing facilities, which meet specific cost thresholds or other criteria under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Mitigation: Measures taken to avoid, minimize, or compensate for the adverse environmental impacts of a project, as required under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP): The state agency responsible for administering and enforcing the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review process, as well as other environmental laws and regulations in the state. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-1.1)

New Jersey Pinelands Protection Act: A New Jersey law that establishes the Pinelands Area, a region of unique ecological, agricultural, and cultural significance, and provides for its protection and management. (N.J.S.A. 13:18A-1 et seq.)

Overburdened Community: A census block group in which: (1) at least 35% of the households qualify as low-income households; (2) at least 40% of the residents identify as minority or as members of a State-recognized tribal community; or (3) at least 40% of the households have limited English proficiency. (N.J.S.A. 13:1D-158)

Permit Extension Act: A New Jersey law that extends the expiration dates of certain permits and approvals issued by state agencies, including those related to the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review, in response to economic conditions or emergencies. (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-136.1 et seq.)

Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP): The plan that sets forth the minimum standards for development and land use in the Pinelands Area, as required by the New Jersey Pinelands Protection Act. (N.J.A.C. 7:50-1.1 et seq.)

Public Participation: The process by which the public is informed about and invited to comment on a proposed action and its potential environmental impacts under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-5.1)

Record of Decision (ROD): A concise public document that records a state agency's decision on a proposed action under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review, including the alternatives considered, the environmentally preferable alternative, and any mitigation measures adopted. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Scoping: An early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

State Agency: Any New Jersey state department, agency, board, commission, authority, or instrumentality with statewide jurisdiction that proposes to undertake a major construction project using state funds, as defined under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP): A plan that establishes statewide planning objectives and provides guidance for implementation at the state, regional, and local levels, with the goal of achieving sustainable economic growth and protecting the state's natural resources. (N.J.S.A. 52:18A-196 et seq.)

State Planning Act: A New Jersey law that establishes the State Planning Commission and the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, which guide land use and development decisions in the state. (N.J.S.A. 52:18A-196 et seq.)

Stormwater Management: The control of stormwater runoff and the prevention of pollution from such runoff, as required by the New Jersey Stormwater Management Rules. (N.J.A.C. 7:8-1.1 et seq.)

Threatened or Endangered Species: Species of plants or animals that are listed as threatened or endangered under the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act or the federal Endangered Species Act, and are afforded special protections under the New Jersey Environmental Impact Review. (N.J.A.C. 7:1D-2.1)

Tidelands: All lands that are currently and formerly flowed by the mean high tide of a natural waterway, which are owned by the State of New Jersey and managed by the NJDEP's Bureau of Tidelands Management. (N.J.S.A. 12:3-1 et seq.)

Wetlands: Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, commonly known as hydrophytic vegetation. (N.J.A.C. 7:7A-1.4)