Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

By using this website, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Terms & Conditions of Use. South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (Department) staff may revise these terms periodically. If you wish to continue using our website after changes to terms are posted, you will be required to review and re-accept the terms prior to login. If at any time you do not wish to accept the terms, you will not be granted access to the website as a registered user.

  1. This Environmental Review Tool (ERT) was developed and intended for the purpose of aiding conservation planning and screening projects for potential impacts to threatened, endangered and other at risk species and natural heritage resources. By indicating your agreement to the terms of use for this website, you warrant that you will not use this website for any other purpose.   
  2. The Department reserves the right at any time, without notice, to enhance, modify, alter, or suspend the website and to terminate or restrict your access to the website.
  3. This Environmental Review is based on the project study area that was entered. If the project area, location, or type of project changes, the project should be resubmitted if you wish to receive updated information. If additional information becomes available, the review may need to be reconsidered. The Department recommends that projects be resubmitted for review after one year has passed since the most recent review.  
  4. Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, to defeat or circumvent security measures, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and/or the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act. 
  5. The accuracy of the information obtained through use of this system is dependent upon accurate information being input into the system by the user.
  6. Although reports or queries may not show records for rare species within the vicinity of a project, it does not necessarily mean that they are not present. It may simply indicate that the area has not been surveyed or that records have not been reported to the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program. The ERT is constantly being updated and expanded. Information contained in the ERT does not constitute an official opinion by the Department, nor will it, by itself, meet any regulatory requirements. The information in the ERT does not replace the need for conducting field work. The information must be used in consultation with appropriate federal, state, and local offices. The absence of data confirming the occurrence of a species within a geographic area does not constitute a negative declaration.
  7. The ERT operates on a complex computer system. This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features and for other like purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring and is advised that if monitoring reveals possible evidence of criminal activity, system personnel may provide the evidence to law enforcement officials.
  8. This website maintains a record of each environmental review search result as well as all contact information. This information is maintained for internal tracking purposes only. Information collected in this application will not be shared outside of the purposes of the Department.

You must accept these Terms & Conditions of Use in order to use the Environmental Review Tool website and tools.