2004 INNOVATIONS AWARDS PROGRAM
Application Form
(INSTRUCTIONS: Please complete and submit this document electronically if possible, e.g. a Word
document. The application form is available online at our web site, www.csg.org, in the Programs section.
Please determine the appropriate Program Category from the enclosed Program Categories sheet,
and list the category under the Category section below on the right.)
ID #: 04-E-20NJ
Category: Natural Resources/Environment
State: New Jersey
1. Program Name – i-MapNJ NJEMS
2. Administering Agency – New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office
of Information Resources
3. Contact Person (Name and Title) – Lou Jacoby, GIS Specialist
4. Address – PO Box 428, Trenton, NJ 08625-0428
5. Telephone Number – (609) 292-3211
6. FAX Number – (609) 292-7900
7. E-mail Address – lou.jacoby@dep.state.nj.us
8. Web site Address – www.nj.gov/dep/gis/imapnj/imapnj.htm
9. Please provide a two-sentence description of the program.
i-MapNJ NJEMS is a web-based environmental mapping application, that integrates
GIS map layers and data from a number of NJDEP’s environmental databases. It
allows interaction with the data through the use of basic GIS tools and queries, and
provides users the ability to locate an area of interest, view environmental data and
perform basic GIS analysis.
10. How long has this program been operational (month and year)? Note: the program
must be between 9 months and 5 years old on May 1, 2004 to be considered.
The application was released to the public in September 2002, so it is one year and
seven months old.
11. Why was the program created? (What problem[s] or issue[s] was it designed to
address?)
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i-MapNJ NJEMS was created initially for staff of NJDEP to view and analyze
permitting, agency activity, and enforcement data from the NJDEP’s New Jersey
Environmental Management System (NJEMS) database in a spatial context with other
mapped environmental data in NJDEP’s GIS. The NJEMS database was designed to
bring together most of the environmental data collected by the department’s
regulatory programs. Most of the data is associated with a “site”, which is basically a
location that is regulated or is otherwise of some interest to a program in NJDEP.
A great need was satisfied by the i-MapNJ NJEMS application in that it enabled
NJDEP staff to zoom to an area of interest, and view sites and their spatial
relationships with open space, various regulatory boundaries, sensitive lands,
watersheds, and other mapped features of environmental interest. When released to
the public, it provided an easy to use environmental mapping tool that allowed
homeowners to find out what’s in their backyard; and allowed environmental
organizations, planners, and builders to get environmental information about an area,
neighborhood, county, watershed, or the state.
Since the application is web-based, it provides an easy to use, low-cost solution for
providing basic GIS capabilities on the desktop to anyone. The application also
includes detailed metadata for each GIS layer, which includes contact and data
download information.
12. Describe the specific activities and operations of the program in chronological order.
In 1995, NJDEP hired American Management Systems (AMS), to build the NJEMS
application and database. A database model was designed and program data was
loaded program-by-program into the database. At the heart of the database is the
Masterfile data, which includes core data elements that are common in most program
databases. Among the core data elements, significant for i-MapNJ NJEMS, are the
site IDs which are unique for each site, the program interest IDs which relate to
program specific data, and the x,y coordinates associated with each site’s location.
Having the core site table in NJEMS with this data was key to building a GIS layer
that could then be related to additional environmental data in NJEMS. With the
NJEMS database in place, NJDEP could then proceed with building a map service
that would allow NJDEP users to run some basic NJEMS related queries and see the
results on a map.
NJDEP began working with AMS on the i-MapNJ NJEMS prototype in June 2000.
Meetings where held with NJDEP program staff to arrive at decisions on system
architecture, development environment, GIS layers, and spatial and database queries
that would be required. Development and application testing occurred from July
through October 2000. The application was moved to the production environment,
and released to NJDEP’s intranet in January 2001.
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After the prototype was completed, staff in the Bureau of GIS, in anticipation of
serving the application to the public, completely revamped the user interface to make
the application more user-friendly. Additional GIS layers were added, and more
detailed help files, FAQ’s, and user tutorials were created to help the users’
understanding of the application. The application was released to the public on the
Internet in September 2002.
13. Why is the program a new and creative approach or method?
The program is new and creative in that it is the first NJDEP application to present
mapped environmental information over the web, without users’ needing GIS
software. For the first time, a homeowner can view their home’s location with
respect to other environmentally related mapped data, and develop a sense of the
environmental issues of concern in their immediate area, neighborhood, municipality,
county, or watershed. Metadata files associated with each GIS layer provide very
detailed information about how the layer was created, for what purpose, and who in
NJDEP to contact for further information.
The mapped data layers included in the application are the same as those that are used
by NJDEP staff to make policy decisions. Before i-MapNJ NJEMS, the NJDEP’s
GIS program published GIS data on CDs. A requirement to view this data was either
a desktop GIS program or some installed GIS viewer client. Some consulting firms
had the capability of viewing the data, but the general public, for the most part, did
not. Whenever NJDEP updated these layers, the CDs became obsolete.
Several tutorials were created to provide guidance for targeted users of the
application. Noteworthy is the tutorial for well drillers for well placement, and the
tutorial that allows users to identify areas that represent potential critical wildlife
habitat.
14. What were the program’s start-up costs? (Provide details about specific purchases for
this program, staffing needs and other financial expenditures, as well as existing
materials, technology and staff already in place.)
The application development costs with AMS was approximately $340,000. AMS
employed a project manager, and three developers for the four and a half month
prototype development effort.
NJDEP’s Lou Jacoby served as project manager over the course of the project,
dedicating approximately 85% of his work time from June 2000 through January
2001, and 65% of his time from February 2001 through September 2002. Additional
NJDEP GIS staff who worked on the prototype included Andrew Hendrickson (GIS
technical support), John Fleming (Systems Administrator), and Larry Thornton
(Management support). Diana Johnson (programmer) and Marla Chassels
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(programmer) worked on changing the user interface and making the application
more user-friendly for the Internet.
Additional costs included two NT servers ($12,000), the cost of an ArcIMS license
($7,500), the cost of an ArcSDE license ($10,000), and assorted web development
software ($500).
15. What are the program’s annual operational costs?
At this time, the annual costs only include staff time to maintain and modify (if
needed) the application. In the future there may be costs for replacing server
hardware, and upgrading application software.
16. How is the program funded?
Initial funding for the development of the application came from NJDEP programs
and a $69,000 grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency under the One
Stop Reporting Grant program.
17. Did this program require the passage of legislation, executive order or regulations? If
YES, please indicate the citation number.
No.
18. What equipment, technology and software are used to operate and administer this
program?
System Configuration:
Web Server / Servlet Engine: IIS5 with ServletExec / iPlanet / Apache with Tomcat /
Oracle Application Server / IBM Websphere [All Webserver / servlet engine that
ArcIMS supports]
Application Server: ArcIMS 4.0
Spatial Server: ArcIMS 4.0 Spatial Server
Databases:
Spatial Data Server: ArcSDE 8.1.2 on SQL Server
Database Server: SQL Server 2000
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19. To the best of your knowledge, did this program originate in your state? If YES,
please indicate the innovator’s name, present address, telephone number and e-mail
address.
Yes. The initial concept of i-MapNJ NJEMS came from ideas from several
individuals in NJDEP, including Irene Kropp (ikropp@dep.state.nj.us), Hank Garie
(now at USGS – hgarie@usgs.gov), and Pat Cummens (now at ESRI pcummens@esri.com).
20. Are you aware of similar programs in other states? If YES, which ones and how does
this program differ?
Yes. Though similar environmental applications had been demonstrated to NJDEP
(including Pennsylvania Facilities Analysis System - PFAS), there were several
unique aspects about the project that set it apart. The i-MapNJ NJEMS application
included information not only GIS data from NJDEP’s GIS database, but also from
NJEMS - NJDEP’s major permitting and agency activity environmental database.
Users could conduct combined spatial (locations within county, municipality,
watershed, or within radial distance from a point) and tabular (related to program
interest, agency activities, discharged parameters, etc.) queries on NJEMS sites. The
locations of the NJEMS sites were of very high quality, most having been located by
NJDEP using GPS. Similar applications had address-matched locations for their
regulated entities. Finally, no other application was observed to have the wealth of
user help (context sensitive for each window, FAQs, multiple tutorials, and metadata
for GIS layers) that i-MapNJ NJEMS provides.
21. Has the program been fully implemented? If NO, what actions remain to be taken?
Yes.
22. Briefly evaluate (pro and con) the program’s effectiveness in addressing the defined
problem[s] or issue[s]. Provide tangible examples.
Pros: The application has been very popular with the public. At the end of March
2004, there had been over 100,000 hits. The GIS unit in NJDEP developed an iMapNJ NJEMS training course in October 2002, available to the public, which has
been attended by approximately 200 people. The attendees have included public
employees from various state, county, and municipal agencies, libraries, and
academic institutions. Private companies representing environmental, engineering,
law, insurance, development, and real estate firms have also sent individuals to be
trained.
Cons: The complaints levied often have had more to do with individual technical
issues. A broadband Internet connection is necessary to make interacting with the
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application a more enjoyable experience. Occasionally new users attempt to work
through the application without taking the time to look over some of the tutorials and
help documents. Often the answers to their questions are already there online. There
are occasional questions as to why that individual cannot get themselves to their
location (their home address usually) of interest, or why their area of interest appears
different on the aerial photo. This issue relates most often to the currency of the
roads and air photo image GIS data sets.
23. How has the program grown and/or changed since its inception?
The basic functionality of the application has not changed. Modifications over time
have been mostly related to additions of new/updated GIS layers and new tutorials for
targeted users.
24. What limitations or obstacles might other states expect to encounter if they attempt to
adopt this program?
If other states were looking to develop a similar application, there would be several
key issues to consider. The keys to the i-MapNJ NJEMS application include
complete, accurate, environmental GIS datasets (with metadata), and the ability to
integrate (link) with one or more environmental databases. If an organization has
this, the remaining part is easily accomplished, assuming there is a funding
mechanism if outside help is necessary. There does need to be a point person or unit
that is responsible for managing the building and maintaining the application.
Add space as appropriate to this form. When complete, return to:
CSG Innovations Awards 2004
The Council of State Governments
2760 Research Park Drive, P.O. Box 11910
Lexington, KY 40578-1910
innovations@csg.org
DEADLINE: All original applications must be received by April 20, 2004, to be
considered for an Innovations Award for 2004.
ApplicationForm04.doc
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