The following is a list of 200+ acronyms used frequently in the Jersey Sierran and in New Jersey Chapter Press Releases
Click on either the acronym or full name for more information.
- 7Q10
- The lowest 7-day average hydrological flow that occurs (on average) once every 10 years.
- Flow of water in a stream during prolonged dry weather.
- ACD
- Administrative Consent Order
- ACE
- Atlantic City Electric
- ACEEE
- American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
- ACO
- Administrative Consent Order
- ACUA
- Atlantic County Utilities Authority
- ACOE
- Army Core of Engineers
- ALEC
- American Legislative Exchange Council - CONSERVATIVE
- ANJEE
- Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education
- ANJEC
- Association of NJ Environmental Commissions
- API
- American Petroleum Institute
- ARC
- Access to the Region's Core - Trans-Hudson Rail Tunnel
- ARCS
- Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments
- ANWAR
- A common misspelling of ANWR.
- ANWR
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- ARB
- California Air Resources Board
- ASMFC
- Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commmissions
- ATV
- All Terrain Vehicles
- BERA
- Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment
- BGS Auction
- Basic Generation Service Auction to procure electrical supply for customers who did not switch to a competitive retailer.
- BLM
- Bureau Of Land Management
- BOD
- Sierra Club Board of Directors
- BOEM
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- BPU
- Board of Public Utilities
- C1 Waterway
- Category 1 Waterway
- C3
- IRS Code section 501(c)(3) - Non-profit funds allowing tax deductions for contributions. e.g. Sierra Club Foundation.
- C4
- IRS Code section 501(c)(4) - Non-profit funds NOT allowing tax deductions for contributions.
- CAFE
- Corporate Average Fuel Economy
- CAFRA
- Coastal Area Facility Review Act
- CAA
- Clean Air Act Extension of 1970
- CAPP
- Coalition To Stop Pilgrim Pipeline
- CBT
- Corporate Business Tax
- CEQ
- Council on Environmental Quality
- CERCLA
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
- Commonly known as Superfund.
- CCL
- Sierra Club Council of Club Leaders
- CD
- Congressional District - National
- CDBG
- Community Development Block Grant Program. HUD
- CDBGDRA
- Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Action Plan
- CDSI
- Conservation Delivery Streamlining Initiative
- CFD
- Carbon Fee and Dividend
- CMP
- Comprehensive Master Plan
- or Comprehensive Management Plan
- COAH
- Council on Affordable Housing
- CSO
- Combined Sewer Overflow
- CWA
- Clean Water Act
- CWA
- Communications Workers of America
- CWF
- Clean Water Fund
- DCA
- Department of Community Affairs
- DEC
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- DEP
- Department of Environmental Protection
- D&R Canal
- Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission
- DG
- Distributed Generation
- DOE
- Department of Energy
- DOI
- Department of Interior
- DOT
- Department of Transportation
- DRBC
- Delaware River Basin Commission
- DRCC
- Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission
- DRN
- Delaware Riverkeeper Network
- EDA
- Economic Development Authority
- EA
- Environmental Assessment
- ECG
- East Coast Greenway
- EDC
- Electric Distribution Companies
- EELC
- Eastern Environmental Law Center
- EIA
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- EIS
- Environmental Impact Statement
- EJAC
- Environmental Justice Advisory Council
- ELC
- Environmental Law Clinic
- EMP
- Energy Master Plan
- EPA
- Environmental Protection Agency - Fed
- EPAct
- Energy Policy Act of 2005
- EIR
- Environmental Resource Inventory (Highlands)
- ERA
- Ecological Risk Assessment
- ERO
- Electric Reliability Organization
- EWA
- Edison Wetlands Association
- FAC
- Federal Advisory Committee
- F&WW
- Food and Water Watch
- FEIS
- Final EIS - Final Environmental Impact Statement
- FEMA
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- FERC
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- FOIA
- Freedom of Information Act
- FONSI
- Finding of No Significant Impact
- FSC
- Forest Stewardship Council
- FWS
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI)
- GEHWA
- Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association
- FRIP
- Field Recruitment Incentive Program (Sierra Club Group)
- GHG
- Greenhouse Gases
- GIS
- Geographic Information Systems
- GMO
- Genetically modified organism
- GPEP
- Global Population and Environment Program - SC
- GSPT
- Garden State Preservation Trust - State of New Jersey
- GW
- GigaWatt (A billion watts)
- GW
- Ground Water
- HDCs
- Highlands Development Credits
- HHRA
- Human Health Risk Assessment
- HOT
- High Occupancy Toll
- HOV
- High Occupancy Vehicle
- HR...
- House Resolution - prefix for bill numbers in the House of Representatives
- HUC11
- 11 Digit Hydrologic Unit Code
- HUC14
- 14 Digit Hydrologic Unit Code
- HUD
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- HUD
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- IGW
- Impact to Groundwater Standard (see PWTA)
- IGWSRS
- Impact to Groundwater Soil Remediation Standard
- IPCC
- U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- IHGS
- Intelligent Vehicle/Highway Systems
- ITS
- Intelligent Transportation Systems
- JCP&L
- Jersey Central Power and Light
- KIG
- Keep it Green
- Keystone XL (KXL)
- Keystone oil pipeline extension
- From the Keystone terminal in Canada to Texas
- kWh
- Kilowatt-Hours - Standard unit for billing electrical usage
- LCAPP
- Long Term Capacity Agreement Pilot Program - NJ. Financial incentives for building new power plants.
- LCV
- League of Conservation Voters
- LD
- Legislative District - State Senate and Assembly Districts
- LEED
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - (US Green Building Council)
- LNG
- Liquified Natural Gas
- LOI
- Letter of interpretation
- LTE
- Letter to the Editor
- LUL
- Land Use Law
- LWG
- League of Women Voters
- MCL
- Maximum Contaminant Levels
- MERI
- Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute
- MLUL
- NJ Municipal Land Use Law
- MOA
- Memorandum of Agreement
- MOU
- Memorandum of Understanding
- MW
- MegaWatts - A Million Watts
- NEPA
- National Environmental Policy Act
- NERA
- National Economic Research Associates
- NERC
- North American Electric Reliability Council
- NIETC
- National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor
- NIMBY
- Not in My Back Yard
- N.J.A.C
- New Jersey Administrative Code
- NJAC
- New Jersey Association of Counties
- NJEF
- New Jersey Environmental Federation
- NJDEP
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
- NJCF
- New Jersey Conservation Foundation
- NJDEPE
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy
- NJEDA
- NJ Economic Development Authority
- NJDEPES
- A common misspelling of NJPDES
- NJLOM
- NJ League of Municipalities
- NJPDES
- New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
- NJSC
- New Jersey Sierra Club
- NPDES
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
- NPS
- National Park Service (DOI)
- NRA
- National Recreation Area (e.g. Delaware Water Gap & Gateway)
- NRA
- National Rifle Association
- NPS
- National Park Service
- NRCS
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (nrcs.usda.gov) New Jersey
- NRD
- Natural Resource Damages
- NRDA
- Natural Resource Damage Assessment
- NRDC
- National Resources Defense Council
- NREL
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
- NRRB
- EPA's National Remedy Review Board
- NWF
- National Wildlife Federation
- NWR
- National Wildlife Refuge
- NSPS
- New Source Performance Standards - Air pollution emission standards
- OCC
- Ocean County College
- OPRA
- Open Public Records Act
- ORD
- Office of Resource Development (DEP)
- ORECs
- Offshore Renewable Energy Credits
- OSHA
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Home
- OWEDA
- Offshore Wind Economic Development Act
- PCM
- People's Climate March
- PEER
- Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (NJ)
- PILOT
- Payment in Lieu of Taxes - funding for municipalities with preserved open space.
- Pinelands CMP
- Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan
- PMC
- Pinelands Municipal Council
- PPA
- Pinelands Preservation Alliance
- PJM
- Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection
- an independent regional transmission organizations (RTO) coordinating the movement of power through the transmission network across and within its region and reporting to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- PSE&G
- Public Service Electric and Gas
- PWTA
- Private Well Testing Act
- RCRA
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- REC
- Renewable Energy Certificate
- RGGI
- Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
- RECO
- Rockland Electric Company
- RES
- Renewable Energy Standard (See also RPS)
- RMP
- Regional Master Plan
- ROSI
- Recreation and Open Space Inventory - Green Acres
- RPS
- Renewable Portfolio Standard
- RRC
- Rural Residential Center
- RREM
- Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Elevation and Mitigation
- RRO
- Regional Reliability Organizations - NREC Regional Entities
- RTO
- Regional Transmission Organization e.g. PJM
- Single stream
- Put all recyclables together
- SADC
- State Agriculture Development Committee
- SEIU
- Service Employees International Union
- SIP
- State Implementation Plan
- SJG
- South Jersey Gas
- SHPO
- State Historic Preservation Office
- SAGE
- Sustainability and Green Energy
- SLAPP
- Strategic lawsuits against public participation
- SREC
- Solar Renewable Energy Credits
- SPLP
- Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure
- SVOCs
- Semi-VOCs
- TCIA
- Tree Care Industry Association
- TDM
- Transportation Demand Management
- TDR
- Transfer of Development Rights
- TEAC
- Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee
- TGP
- Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company
- TID
- Transit Improvement Districts
- TMDL
- Total Maximum Daily Load
- TOD
- Transit Oriented Development
- TPL
- Trust for Public Land
- TPP
- Trans-Pacific Partnership
- Transco
- Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC, a division of TWA - Williams Energy
- (see Leidy Southeast Expansion Project)
- USDA
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- USFS
- U.S. Forest Service (part of USDA)
- VOC
- Volatile Organic Compounds
- WIPA
- Water Infrastructure Protection Act
- WMA
- Watershed Management Area
- WMA
- Wildlife Management Area
- WQMP
- Water Quality Management Plan
Other Terms: From "Land Use and Preservation in New Jersey: A Beginner's Guide" and other sources.
C1 Waterway: Category One Waterway. Classification used for a waterway determined to be of high environmental value, and offering it the highest level of protection in the state, including a three hundred foot buffer between the water's edge and any new development.
Clean Water Act: Federal legislation authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency primary responsibility for regulating the release of pollutants into U.S. waterways. New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection assumed responsibility for Clean Water Act regulations.
DEP: The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; the state agency that oversees the regulation of environmental laws.
Endangered Species: Species whose prospects for survival are in immediate danger and thus need assistance to prevent future extinction. Species can be listed at the Federal level, State level, or both.
Environmental Assessment (EA): Short report detailing the proposed development plan, the site, and potential environmental impacts. There are three outcomes: a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI); a Mitigated FONSI (in which the project can go forward provided some changes are made); and the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Detailed document, required under the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), describing the proposed project, environmental, demographic and economic impacts, and all possible alternatives. An EIS requires public hearings after the draft (DEIS) is released. All questions asked by the public and by private agencies during the comment period must be answered in writing before the final EIS (FEIS) is released.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Mapping technology that allows the user to create and interact with a variety of maps and data sources.
Green Acres Program: New Jersey's Green Acres Program provides a source of matching funds for counties and municipalities to preserve open space for passive and active recreation.
Ground WaterRainwater runoff that seeps into the ground to become ground water. Ground water moves into water-filled layers of porous geologic formations called aquifers.Historic Designation : Local or state recognition deeming a site, structure, or area as having historical, archaeological or architectural significance.
IMAP: A brand of GIS mapping software.
LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A certification process for environmentally-friendly and energy efficient buildings developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
Master Plan: A document describing the land use rules for every parcel in a municipality
MLUL: Municipal Land Use Law, New Jersey's set of rules that govern development.
NIMBY : Stands for "Not in My Back Yard" and refers to an organization or person opposing a development only because it is in their immediate area.
Nonpoint Source PollutionContamination that results from everyday activities such as fertilizing the lawn, walking pets, changing motor oil and littering. With each rainfall, pollutants generated by these activities are washed into storm drains that flow into our waterways and ocean.Open Space: Land in a predominantly open and undeveloped condition that is suitable for use as a natural area, wildlife and native plant habitat, or for passive or active recreation. Open space can include wetlands, watersheds, and stream corridors.
Ordinance: A municipal regulation or requirement. A zoning ordinance, for example, details what can and cannot be built in specific areas of a municipality.
Permit: A formal document granting permission. Permits are issued by municipalities, states, and by the federal government.
Pro Bono: Latin, "for the good." In legal terms, pro bono means "at no cost."
Riparian AreaRiparian areas are ecosystems adjacent to a river or waterway that, in an undisturbed state, provide habitat for wildlife and help improve water quality. Riparian areas are usually transitional zones between wetland and upland areas and are generally comprised of grasses, shrubs, trees, or a mix of vegetation types that exist within a variety of landscapes (e.g., natural, agricultural, forested, suburban, and urban).ROSI: Recreation and Open Space Inventory. A listing of all Green Acres-funded properties as well as all other municipal land held for conservation and/or recreation purposes.
SLAPP: Strategic Lawsuit against Public Participation. Litigation initiated by an agency more powerful than the citizens attempting to stop it for the purpose of shutting down opposition to a project.
Soil Map: A map showing distribution of soil types and/or soil properties (soil pH, textures, organic matter, etc.)
Surface WaterWater in lakes and streamsThreatened Species: Those species that may become endangered if conditions surrounding them begin to or continue to deteriorate.
Waiver: An exception to municipal or state regulations that allows non-compliance with a specific ordinance or rule.
WatershedThe area of land that drains into a body of waterWetlands: A wetland is defined by a high water table, waterlogged soil, and vegetation that can survive frequent inundation. Wetlands are protected by the federal Clean Water Act and include marshes, swamps, bogs, and forests where repeated flooding is common.
Glossaries:
NRDC: Glossary of Environmental Terms
List of Acronyms | US EPA
Glossary of Environmental Terms | Calif. Dept. of Toxic Substances Control
Environmental Acronyms | AGCThe Associated General Contractors of America AcronymFinder