Borough of Bernardsville awarded sustainability grant

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1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04, 14, 2016 Contact: Ed English , of Bernardsville awarded sustainability grant Bernardsville, NJ Our Green Team was awarded a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey capacity-building grant funded by the PSEG Foundation. Grants were distributed to 32 municipalities to fund a variety of projects including reclaiming paved surfaces for community gardens, protecting community tree cover, water conservation, green infrastructure, natural resources protection, park revitalization, promoting healthy lifestyles and green team capacity building. Bernardsville successfully completed a number of green team initiatives including education and outreach programs, the community garden, and flood hazard mitigation research. "The work of our Green Team has been recognized by the community and surprisingly, new projects are being recommended that they were not aware of prior to receiving the grant." Kevin Sooy, Mayor, Bernardsville These grants support green teams and municipalities working to bring innovative sustainability projects forward that will shape the future of their residents for years to come, said Donna Drewes, who codirects Sustainable Jersey with Randall Solomon. The grants we re awarding today will also help build capacity as municipalities move sustainability programs forward, Drewes said. The PSEG Foundation has contributed over one million dollars in funding to the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program. Environmental, social and economic issues are the cornerstone to the PSEG Foundation s support and we are committed to leading the communities in which we serve towards a more sustainable future, said Ellen Lambert, president of the PSEG Foundation. These projects will have a lasting impact to neighborhoods throughout New Jersey. Proposals were evaluated by an independent Blue Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help municipalities make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification. Currently, 77 percent, or 434 of New Jersey s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program. ABOUT SUSTAINABLE JERSEY Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. Currently, 77 percent, or 434

2 of New Jersey s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program and 163 school districts and 428 schools are participating in the new Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification program. Sustainable Jersey s partners include the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program. Program underwriters include the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program and the Surdna Foundation. The 2016 Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program for municipalities is funded by PSEG Foundation and the Gardinier Environmental Fund. South Jersey Gas and New Jersey Natural Gas are Platinum Sponsors. NJM Insurance Group is a Gold Sponsor, Bayshore Recycling is a Silver Sponsor and our Bronze Sponsors are Investors Bank, Covanta, Energy Solve, JCP&L, GovPilot and Solar City. Website: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: Linked In: ###

3 MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 12, Municipalities Receive Grants to Implement Sustainability Projects Grant recipients from 16 NJ counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren Ewing, NJ At an event held today in Cranford, Sustainable Jersey announced the 32 New Jersey municipalities selected to receive a Sustainable Jersey small grant funded by the PSEG Foundation. Four $20,000 grants, eight $10,000 grants and twenty $2,000 grants were distributed to fund a variety of projects including reclaiming paved surfaces for community gardens, protecting community tree cover, water conservation, green infrastructure, natural resources protection, park revitalization, promoting healthy lifestyles and green team capacity building. These grants support green teams and municipalities working to bring innovative sustainability projects forward that will shape the future of their residents for years to come, said Donna Drewes, who co-directs Sustainable Jersey with Randall Solomon. She extended her congratulations to all of the towns that received grants. The grants we re awarding today will also help build capacity as municipalities move sustainability programs forward, Drewes said. The PSEG Foundation has contributed over one million dollars in funding to the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program. Environmental, social and economic issues are the cornerstone to the PSEG Foundation s support and we are committed to leading the communities in which we serve towards a more sustainable future, said Ellen Lambert, president of the PSEG Foundation. These projects will have a lasting impact to neighborhoods throughout New Jersey. SUSTAINBLE JERSEY SMALL GRANTS RECIPIENTS (project descriptions and select quotes below): Four $20,000 Grant Recipients: Ewing, Fort Lee, Monroe and Mount Arlington. Eight $10,000 Grant Recipients: Cranford, Berkeley Heights, Hillsborough, Keyport, Kinnelon, Mount Holly, Perth Amboy City and Winslow. Twenty $2,000 Grant Recipients: Absecon City, Audubon Park, Bergenfield, Bernardsville, Brigantine City, Hawthorne, Holland, Jamesburg, Mansfield, Maplewood, Margate City, Morris Plains, Mountain Lakes, New Providence, Roosevelt, Toms River, Union, Vernon, Wall and Washington. Proposals were evaluated by an independent Blue Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help municipalities make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification. Currently, 77 percent, or 434 of New Jersey s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program. -More-

4 Recipients of $20,000 Sustainable Jersey Project Grants County Municipality Project Title Project Summary Bergen Mercer Middlesex Morris Fort Lee Ewing Monroe Mount Arlington Go Green Fort Lee: 15th Street Sustainable Garden Partnering for the Restoration of the Community Forest User-Friendly Environmental Resources Inventory Community Garden for Farmers Market Will create recreational gardening plots and provide space for communal educational gatherings to focus on the topics of sustaining the environment, health and wellness, and social interaction among isolated individuals including residents of a nearby assisted living developments for disabled fixed-income adults and seniors. Will develop and implement a coordinated response to the discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in its community tree cover. The effort will include education, partnerships, responsible decision-making and informed re-planting. As a result of this initiative a step-by-step guide will be developed to assist other municipalities in addressing EAB infestation. Will update the 10-year-old Environmental Resources Inventory (ERI) to make it current and user friendly. The goal is to clearly map out important environmental, civic, and cultural resources so it can be easily and effectively referred to by the Environmental Commission when conducting site plan reviews and other boards and commissions in their decision-making processes. Will work with the high school to produce a short video highlighting the town's environmental footprint that will be run on cable TV, be accessible on the website, and shown at the green fair and other outreach activities. Will redevelop an underutilized tennis court on -owned property to become a community garden that will augment and promote a school-run Farmers Market. Recipients of $10,000 Sustainable Jersey Project Grants County Municipality Project Title Project Summary Burlington Camden Middlesex Monmouth Morris Somerset Page 2 of 6 Mount Holly Winslow Perth Amboy City Keyport Kinnelon Hillsborough Operation Green Sidewalk Gear Up and GO in Winslow! Marine Debris Prevention Conservation Education Program Organic Community Garden Completion of Easement Inventory Will implement Operation Green Sidewalk, a project targeted towards discovering and evaluating different kinds of sidewalk materials that can be used to repair damaged sidewalks surrounding trees. These studies will also address how these alternative materials can contribute to improved stormwater management. Will launch a series of initiatives geared towards encouraging youth to understand and appreciate the value of a sustainable lifestyle from health and wellness to recycling to local economies. Will strive to achieve a substantial reduction in the amount of waste that enters the waterways as a result of single use plastic items by constructing three reusable water bottle filling stations at various parks throughout the city and conducting a public education campaign. Will launch a town-wide water conservation education program to educate residents and the business community about the positive impact quality water has on ecosystems, the local economy, and drinking water resources. Will create an organic community garden with 150 garden beds. Will develop a conservation easement parcel database detailing the location, type of easement, owner, and size. The information from this database will then be incorporated into the 's digitized parcel-based ArcGIS mapping for community outreach and education focusing on the importance of the natural resources protected by the municipally held easements.

5 County Municipality Project Title Project Summary Union Berkeley Heights Impervious Cover Reduction and Stormwater Management Will implement an innovative program to help address stormwater runoff through the use of rebates to encourage homeowners to construct rain gardens on their properties. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with Rutgers Cooperative Extension's Water Resources Program. Union Cranford i-tree Inventory Will complete an i-tree Inventory of the approximately 7,000 trees along 72 miles of municipal roads allowing the to make informed decisions regarding municipal tree management. Recipients of $2,000 Sustainable Jersey Capacity Building Grants County Municipality Project Title Project Summary Atlantic Page 3 of 6 Brigantine City Recycling Efforts Atlantic Margate City Gardening by the Sea Native Landscaping Atlantic Absecon City Morton & Traymore Park Project Bergen Camden Essex Hunterdon Middlesex Monmouth Monmouth Morris Bergenfield Audubon Park Maplewood Holland Jamesburg Roosevelt Wall Mountain Lakes Victory/ Gardens 75 Years Later Community Garden Enhanced Website, Social Media, and Marketing Expansion and Regionalization of Farmer's Market Setting Our Sights on Certification General Operating Support Restoration of Allenwood Park Native Garden Capacity Building Grant Will partner with ACUA to create a community education and outreach campaign based on the city's revised Recycling Ordinance. As part of the campaign, residents in the City will be receiving a 96-gallon recycling cart to encourage positive recycling practices. Will install an ocean friendly demonstration garden and water collection system at the city's municipal complex and conduct educational workshops for city residents. Project partners include: Sustainable Margate, Margate City Public Library, South Jersey Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, Tighe Middle School Ecology Club, and the Southeast Chapter of the NJ Native Plant Society. Will develop a sustainable design for a park in Absecon that has become neglected. Sustainable Absecon will partner with the Emma C. Attales Middle School where students will have the opportunity to create their own designs, while residents from the surrounding neighborhoods will be allowed to view the designs and provide comments or suggestions for improvement. Will develop victory gardens working with the school district, the garden club, and four municipal departments to promote health and wellness and good eating habits. Will create a community garden. Will upgrade the website and enhance social media to become a more interactive community site hosting a wide range of sustainability topics and initiatives in the region and promote existing projects. Will expand the Farmers Market in partnership with neighboring townships. Will work towards certification in collaboration with neighboring towns and participation in a multi-town/school district green fair. Will continue to pursue goal towards achieving Sustainable Jersey certification by following up on recommendations from the 2015 Environmental Resources Inventory and increasing public outreach efforts. Will reconstruct the town garden that has deteriorated over the years. The project will incorporate community and student volunteers, and serve as an example to the community of the benefits of cultivating native plants and effective gardening techniques without the use of pesticides. Will help fund the non-mandated materials recycling program and water conservation education program. Morris Morris Plains Capacity Will expand education and outreach efforts in order to increase community

6 County Municipality Project Title Project Summary Ocean Passaic Somerset Sussex Union Union Warren Warren Building Grant awareness and participation related to the recycling program and other sustainable actions residents can implement in their own homes. Toms River Capacity Will work towards achieving Sustainable Jersey certification. Building Grant Hawthorne Native Plant Will help support native plant innovation project with purchase of native Project plants, outreach promotional materials, and other necessary equipment. Bernardsville Capacity Will support a variety of green team initiatives including education and Building Grant outreach efforts, the community garden, and flood hazard mitigation research. Vernon Greenway Will help complete the construction of a 17.5-mile-long recreational path. Recreation Path New Community Will construct a deer-free community garden in order to provide residents with Providence Garden the opportunity to learn about healthy gardening techniques to cultivate fresh and all-natural produce. Union Green Team Re- Will re-energize the green team through a series of new appointments that will Activation encourage a greater amount of activity to do sustainable action items. Washington Mansfield Farmers' Market Shower Better Water Conservation Education Initiative Will expand the Farmers' Market by purchasing additional equipment and implementing strategies to attract additional vendors and customers throughout the season. Will undertake a demonstration project on the implementation and education about WaterSense showerheads, a device that been estimated to conserve about 2,300 gallons of water per year. QUOTES FROM SELECT RECIPIENTS Camden County Winslow is very excited to begin some great projects aimed towards our youth thanks to the $10,000 Sustainable Jersey program grant. The highly believes that investing in the health of our youth is key to the future success of the. Building a positive rapport between our youth and the is something the takes very seriously and something we look forward to building upon throughout this year. - Barry Wright, Mayor, Winslow Essex County Maplewood appreciates receiving this grant and the recognition of our efforts to promote sustainability in our community and region. We recognize the key role that municipalities can play in addressing threats to our climate. Maplewood will continue to be a leader in preserving and protecting our environment. Victor De Luca, Mayor, Maplewood Monmouth County Sustainable Jersey has been a valuable resource to the of Roosevelt, helping our community focus on ambitious yet achievable goals for improved sustainability. We are grateful for all the support we have received, including a Sustainable Jersey Small Grant award this year, which will help us further advance our projects and progress towards Bronze Certification. Eitan Grunwald, Chair, Roosevelt Environmental Commission, of Roosevelt The Wall Environmental Advisory Committee is appreciative to receive this small grant because, without question, we are able to beautify our community with an attractive native restoration garden for Page 4 of 6

7 residents to enjoy for many years to come. - Wilma Morrissey, Chair, Environmental Advisory Committee, Wall Morris County The Mount Arlington mayor and council as well as the green team are very thankful for this grant. It will enable us to repurpose and revitalize a tract of property to create our community garden project that has been in the planning stage for the last two years now a reality. - Andrew Cangiano, Councilman and Green Team Chair, of Mount Arlington The of Morris Plains is honored to be selected to receive a $2000 capacity building grant, which will help us to further our efforts in engaging our residents and businesses in environmentally friendly practices. Laurie Fu, Council member/green Team Coordinator, Morris Plains Ocean County Toms River is committed to providing a safe and sustainable community seeking to optimize the quality of life for its residents by assuring clean land, air and water, and improving working and living environments for future generations. I gratefully acknowledge the funding and support from Sustainable Jersey for future projects and activities for the Toms River Green Team. Thomas F. Kelaher, Mayor, Toms River Passaic County On behalf of the of Hawthorne, the Green Team is honored to be awarded the Sustainable Jersey Capacity Building grant to implement our native plant innovation project to enhance the biodiversity in our community. We will be planting native plants into the landscape of property owned by the of Hawthorne, as well as identified members of the Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce, where it is suitable outdoor space for the addition of native plants. The Green Team has established partnership between the of Hawthorne and the Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce to develop and implement sustainable projects to benefit the residents of Hawthorne. Rayna Laiosa, Chair, Environmental Commission/Green Team, of Hawthorne Somerset County "The work of our Green Team has been recognized by the community and surprisingly, new projects are being recommended that they were not aware of prior to receiving the grant." Kevin Sooy, Mayor, Bernardsville Land preservation continues to be a top priority in the, a complete inventory and GIS mapping of our existing conservation easements will help maintain and coordinate Hillsborough s open space planning initiatives. Frank DelCore, Mayor, Hillsborough Sussex County The Vernon Greenway Action Advisory Committee is very excited to receive this $2000 grant to help offset some the administrative costs of pursuing our goal to build a breathtaking greenway and recreational path in our. In these hard economic times, the GAAC needs to seek out any funding sources necessary to reach this goal set by the Mayor, Council and all residents of Vernon. We look forward to reaching our certification goals set forth by Sustainable Jersey keeping our community vibrant and sustainable for future generations. Michael Furrey, Chairperson, Greenway Action Advisory Committee, Vernon Page 5 of 6

8 Union County The of Union is excited to reinvigorate our Green initiatives with the Small Grant from Sustainable New Jersey. We are proud of how far we have come, but recognize how far we still need to go to ensure a solid, and environmentally conscious future for all of our residents. Manuel Figueiredo, Mayor, of Union Warren County The of Mansfield is excited to have received this grant to assist in the education of our residents to become a more sustaining municipality. Minimizing water use, waste and loss over time is heavily dependent on continually evaluating and adopting new technologies and practices. The of Mansfield is mostly in the Highlands preservation area, but as a community we have just begun a focus on general water conservation efforts. This grant will be utilized to purchase two different types of showerheads that will be distributed to residents on an as needed basis. The will also be disseminating documents to build awareness with the water conservation processes. The of Mansfield looks forward to continuing our successful relationship with Sustainable Jersey and appreciates receiving this grant. Shirley Kocher, Mayor, of Mansfield ABOUT SUSTAINABLE JERSEY Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. Currently, 77 percent, or 434 of New Jersey s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program and 163 school districts and 428 schools are participating in the new Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification program. Sustainable Jersey s partners include the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program. Program underwriters include the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program and the Surdna Foundation. The 2016 Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program for municipalities is funded by PSEG Foundation and the Gardinier Environmental Fund. South Jersey Gas and New Jersey Natural Gas are Platinum Sponsors. NJM Insurance Group is a Gold Sponsor, Bayshore Recycling is a Silver Sponsor and our Bronze Sponsors are Investors Bank, Covanta, Energy Solve, JCP&L, GovPilot and Solar City. Website: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: Linked In: ### Page 6 of 6