Natural Resource Inventories
Comprehensive Natural Resource Inventories for SEQRA and CEQR Review
Natural Resource Inventories (NRIs) are a critical component of an environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in New York State and City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) in New York City.
Our company provides thorough NRIs that document existing natural resources, assess potential project impacts, and support sound decision-making by developers, planners, and municipalities.
We deliver objective, data-driven inventories that integrate ecological fieldwork, GIS mapping and remote sensing, with regulatory expertise, ensuring your project advances efficiently while meeting environmental protection and land use planning standards.
Understanding the Role of an NRI
A Natural Resource Inventory identifies and evaluates the environmental features of a site or region, including its wetlands, waters, geology, vegetation, wildlife, and habitats.
NRIs provide the factual foundation for determining whether a proposed action may result in significant environmental impacts, as required under SEQRA and CEQR.
Our NRI services support:
- Developers and landowners completing SEQRA/CEQR environmental assessments
- Municipal planning boards and environmental commissions conducting local reviews
- Consulting teams preparing Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) documentation requiring natural resource input
- Non-profits, Land Trusts, Community Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Our Approach to Environmental Review
Our work emphasizes accuracy, transparency, and integration with the larger project timeline.
Because NRIs often precede or inform EIS preparation, we coordinate closely with project planners, engineers, and attorneys to ensure findings are supportive of other technical studies.
A typical NRI project includes:
- Project Scoping
- Define the study area, data needs, and regulatory context.
- Data Review and Fieldwork
- Compile existing datasets and conduct on-site surveys.
- Analysis and Mapping
- Evaluate resource distribution, connectivity, and sensitivity.
- Reporting and Recommendations
- Summarize findings and identify opportunities for avoidance, minimization, or mitigation.
By identifying sensitive resources early, we help avoid costly redesigns and project delays later in the permitting process.
Our Natural Resource Inventory Services
Four-Season Field Surveys
Our Natural Resource Inventory services begin with comprehensive, four-season field surveys designed to capture the full ecological character of a site across the entire year. We document vegetative communities and land uses, observe wildlife from birds and mammals to amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates, and map waterbodies, wetlands, and drainage features. Throughout the process we assess habitat quality and connectivity, building a data-driven, consistent baseline that supports rigorous environmental review.
Wetland and Water Resource Assessment
We identify, delineate, and map federal, state, and local wetlands, as well as streams, ponds, and floodplains that contribute to the site’s watershed and overall ecosystem function.
These findings help define development constraints, inform mitigation strategies, and support consistency with all levels of regulatory guidance.
Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat Evaluation
Our vegetation and wildlife habitat evaluations combine field surveys, aerial imagery, and GIS analysis to build a clear picture of a site’s ecological character. Our team’s decades of field experience and familiarity with a wide range of ecological communities facilitates efficient and timely assessments. When a project requires advanced phase assessments, we coordinate with trusted local specialists for threatened and endangered species assessments, including targeted bat or herpetological surveys. Through long-standing relationships with regional biologists and field experts across New York State, from Albany, throughout the Hudson Valley, to the five boroughs of New York City to Long Island, we deliver high-quality, scientifically defensible data that stands up to regulatory scrutiny.
GIS Mapping and Data Integration
Our GIS mapping and data integration process weaves together spatial information from the federal, state, and local planning databases to produce clear, detailed analyses for wetlands and waterbodies, vegetation and land cover, and topography and soils. By bringing these sources into a unified mapping environment, we create visualizations that focus on environmental constraints and land-use opportunities, giving project teams and decision-makers the clarity they need to plan confidently.
Reporting and Documentation
All NRI reports are structured for direct inclusion in SEQRA and CEQR documents or municipal planning records. We prepare reports that meet regulatory expectations and withstand public and agency review.
Capital Environmental Consultants, led by Greg Fleischer, has been an essential partner to Treetop Companies across our development projects. Their expertise in environmental matters, particularly wetland permitting and navigating complex regulatory requirements, provides us with clarity and confidence from due diligence through final approvals.
What can often be a challenging and time-consuming process is handled seamlessly by Greg and his team. They are proactive, knowledgeable, and solutions-driven, ensuring our projects move forward efficiently and in full compliance.
Reuben Twersky
Director of Development, Treetop Companies
Greg, Kelly, and their team are always reliable for tackling a challenging stormwater or wetlands issue. Their knowledge, practicality, and presentations are first-rate, plus they are fun to work with too!
Brad K. Schwartz, Esq.
Partner, Zarin & Steinmetz LLP
We have referred many of our clients over the years to Capital Environmental for help with wetlands permitting and compliance matters. Greg and his whole team are super knowledgeable and provide strategic and frank advice to help our clients achieve positive outcomes. A bonus – they are also really nice people.
Karen L. Mintzer
Partner, Mintzer Mauch, LLC
Capital Environmental Consultants, Inc. provides the Village of New Paltz Planning Board with a great resource for reviewing our projects. Greg Fleischer and team provide thorough, detailed project reviews for our applicants at an affordable cost. Their quick response helps the projects move through the review process in a timely fashion. The best out there, in my opinion. I highly recommend their services.
Mike Baden
Director of Planning, Zoning, and Code Enforcement, Village of New Paltz.
Capital Environmental is a small shop with big shop capabilities!
Greg Fleischer has unparallelled knowledge and experience in handling wetlands and natural resource regulatory issues. He’s performed time and again on complex development projects where everything is on the line. Greg is respectful but does not shy away from a tough task or a hard fight. Kelly is one of the most remarkable stormwater regulatory experts with whom I’ve had the pleasure to work. Her attention to small but critical details is unmatched, while she also maintains a nuanced understanding of the big picture. And Kelly is always there for her clients and colleagues—the definition of a team player.
I would not hesitate to go with Capital on a complicated development project where wetlands, stormwater or natural resources are at issue—and they are always at issue.
Michael Bogin
SIVE|PAGET|RIESEL
Hughes Bros., Inc. has had an excellent experience working with Capital Environmental. When we needed a SWPPP for our shipyard operations, their team guided us through the process with professionalism and expertise. They are knowledgeable, responsive, and consistently deliver high-quality work in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Communication is always clear and timely, and they stay on top of every detail from start to finish. We value their partnership and would highly recommend Capital Environmental to any organization seeking reliable environmental consulting services.
Robert Hughes III
Hughes Marine
I am pleased to provide this testimonial for Capital Environmental Consultants.
I have worked closely with Greg and Kelly on numerous projects involving DEC and DEP matters, including one of the most critical components of our development work — MS4 compliance. Their knowledge, responsiveness, and ability to navigate complex regulatory requirements were instrumental in moving our project forward.
Capital Environmental Consultants handled the design, approvals, and permitting process efficiently and professionally, ultimately allowing us to obtain DEP sign-off without delays. Their understanding of the regulatory landscape and attention to detail gave us confidence every step of the way.
I would highly recommend Greg, Kelly, and the entire team at Capital Environmental Consultants to anyone in need of experienced and reliable environmental consulting services.
Steve Shapiro
FAS Building Corp.
Why Clients Choose Capital Environmental Consultants
Experience Across New York State
Our team has conducted natural resource inventories and ecological assessments from Albany, throughout the Hudson Valley, to the five boroughs of New York City to Long Island, encompassing a wide range of ecosystems and regulatory frameworks.
Technical Rigor
Each inventory is conducted by experienced environmental scientists and certified wetland specialists, following agency-approved protocols to ensure technical validity and regulatory defensibility.
Collaborative Teamwork
We frequently partner with planners, engineers, and surveyors, integrating our findings into comprehensive planning and environmental assessment efforts.
Commitment to Clarity and Communication
We maintain open communication with clients and regulatory staff throughout the process. Our goal is two-fold; to deliver results that are scientifically sound and structured to integrate into project planning documents, but also understandable to stakeholders, decision-makers, and public participants.
Case Studies in Ecological Impact Assessment
We have successfully completed numerous environmental impact assessments for projects ranging from large-scale developments to localized land use changes. These case studies consistently illustrate our capability to accurately characterize baseline conditions, predict potential impacts, and formulate effective mitigation strategies. Our approach consistently leads to regulatory approval and minimized environmental disruption, underscoring our proficiency in complex environmental problem-solving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most NRIs require at least one full year of field data collection to capture seasonal variations. Smaller projects can sometimes be completed within reduced timeframes. The full SEQRA or CEQR NRI process often spans 6-12 months, depending on project complexity.
An NRI is a component of an EIS, focusing specifically on the site’s natural resources- its wetlands, waters, geology, vegetation, wildlife, and habitats. We provide the inventory and analysis that feed into the broader EIS prepared by the project team.
Yes. We can work with municipalities and regional planning boards to develop community-wide NRIs and environmental resource maps to support comprehensive plans, open space conservation, and land use policy.
Yes. We conduct habitat suitability analyses and initial phase surveys for rare, threatened, and endangered species. We also have a network of qualified specialists to perform advanced phase surveys for protected species.