EcoCAT uses databases, Geographic Information System mapping, and a set of programmed decision rules to determine if your proposed action may be in the vicinity of protected natural resources. You receive a natural resource review report that either:
A species may appear on the resource list more than once when it occurs in several locations within the project’s vicinity. Also, many INAI Sites are Nature Preserves, Land and Water Reserves, or Natural Heritage Landmarks. The sites may overlap, but the legal protections of each designation differ. Apart from Natural Areas, the boundaries of the other designations are based on property ownership and may extend beyond the location of the natural resources.
Keep in mind that “in the vicinity” does not necessarily mean “in the footprint” or that a resource will be adversely affected by the action. However, the potential is there and will be evaluated further. By the same token, because the resource buffers are very general, IDNR may evaluate resources located farther away if the proposed action or the life history requirements of a species warrant doing so.
The actual distribution of endangered and threatened species can never be known with certainty. Because some species are migratory, require very large territories, or are highly mobile, a natural resource review showing no protected resources does not guarantee that no T & E species are in the vicinity of a project. An EcoCAT review reflects the information existing in the Database at the time of this inquiry, and should not be regarded as a final statement on the site being considered, nor should it be a substitute for detailed site surveys or field surveys required for environmental assessments. If any protected resources are encountered during a project’s implementation, compliance with applicable statutes and regulations is required.