Sparta environmental commission to pursue alternative routes after ERI grant denial

The Township of Sparta Environmental Commission on June 11 said its application to Sustainable Jersey for a $20,000 environmental resource inventory (ERI) grant was denied and discussed alternative ways to develop a town-specific ERI.

"As we all know, we were denied the Sustainable Jersey grant that we applied for to develop our ERI," Chair Neil Sauerwein said, urging the commission to consider the Highlands Council ERI mapping tool and other funding sources. Sauerwein said the Highlands tool allows municipalities to create an ERI tailored to their geography and keep it up to date as maps and data change.

Committee member Christine Dunbar said the county-level trails and conservation grant the trails committee applied for is roughly $20,000–$25,000 and noted grant programs are highly competitive. Dunbar said a reviewer critique of the ERI application emphasized stronger public engagement and partnership with schools and local groups "before the ERI" in future applications.

Commissioners discussed several immediate options: use open-space funds to seed an ERI effort, ask the town's grant writer to seek Highlands Council grant funding, and produce an abbreviated ERI as a master-plan appendix while pursuing outside funding for a fuller inventory. Members also discussed recruiting student groups, local clubs and conservation organizations to increase community involvement in any future application.

The commission agreed to circulate the ERI output the chair produced with the Highlands tool to a subcommittee and to follow up with the town grant writer about Highlands funding opportunities. No formal vote was required on the planning approach; the item will move forward as a subcommittee task.