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Receive 11th annual Governor's Excellence Awards
They worked countless hours pulling car tires from the Passaic River, managing open space, spreading the word about environmental well-being, and now they're being honored Wednesday evening for their commitment to protecting the environment in New Jersey.
Thirteen individuals, organizations and companies will be recognized for their outstanding environmental performance, programs and projects during the 11th annual Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards ceremony to be held at the State Museum in Trenton.
"The projects and individuals being honored tonight exemplify my administration's commitment to protect the environment," Gov. Christie said Wednesday. "We can all learn from these folks who are taking a look around them, seeing things they want to improve, and doing something about it. They are community leaders who are preparing our state for environmental success and I'm proud to recognize them for their efforts."
"New Jersey residents are the winners through the hard work of these individuals and organizations," state Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin added. "They have made the state a better place to live. We owe them all a great deal of thanks."The awards are coordinated by DEP and sponsored by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. A panel of judges evaluates the nominations accepted from individuals, municipalities, organizations or businesses located throughout New Jersey that perform unique or valuable environmental activities they believe worthy of commendation.
The DEP's annual Clean Water New Jersey Award presentations are integrated into the Environmental Excellence program. The Clean Water New Jersey program recognizes exceptional programs by municipalities, public complexes and highway agencies that are regulated under DEP municipal stormwater permits.
Here is the DEP description of the award winners:
Clean Air -- Shiseido America Inc., East Windsor
Since 2007, Shiseido America, a subsidiary of the Japanese cosmetics corporation, Shiseido Company LTD, has cut their reliance on traditional electricity sources by 80 percent through installation of solar collectors and by replacing inefficient boilers and lighting. These improvements have helped Shiseido eliminate production of more than 1 million pounds of carbon dioxide in the last 12 months.
Environmental Education and Student Activity -- Rutgers Master Gardener Program, Bridgewater
The Rutgers Master Gardener program is designed to increase environmental awareness and stewardship through availability of University-based horticultural information to local communities and individuals. Active in 18 counties throughout New Jersey, the program has developed and enhanced many community programs related to gardening, horticulture, and environmental well-being.
Fernanda Lois, Kearny High School, Kearny
In the spring of 2009, Lois had the idea to hold a river clean-up along a portion of the Passaic River. She enlisted the support of her crew coach and teammates and, after finding a sponsor, was able to host a river clean up event in April 2009. Volunteers more than filled a 20-cubic yard dumpster with trash pulled from the river and off the riverbank. In 2010, she was able to expand the event by including other high school crew teams.
Honorable Mention -- Derynn Paige Scine and Lisa Marie Perini, Immaculate Heart Academy High School, Washington, Bergen County
Student Derynn Paige Scine and her teacher Lisa Marie Perini of Immaculate Heart Academy High School are recognized for their efforts in turning around a dormant environmental club. Their successful projects include: distributing biodegradable shopping bags in the community; raising environmental awareness at their school, resulting in a reduction in solid waste generation; tree planting and community-wide cleanups.
Healthy Ecosystems -- North Jersey Resources Conservation and Development Council, Clifton
North Jersey Resource is a six-county non-profit organization in northwestern New Jersey. North Jersey Resource is recognized for its leadership and efforts involving an ecological restoration project along the Walnut Brook in Mine Brook Park and on the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance Dvoor Farm in Raritan, Hunterdon County.
Innovative Technology -- Hoboken Brownstone Company, Hoboken
Hoboken Brownstone is recognized for its Van Leer Place green-building development in Jersey City. Van Leer Place is a seven-acre redeveloped Brownfield site in downtown Jersey City approved for 482 apartments and 7,500 square feet of retail, with buildings capable of 50 percent to 90 percent energy savings when compared to standard buildings.
Land Conservation -- Franklin Township Open Space Committee
The Franklin Open Space Committee is recognized for its efforts in helping the township acquire and manage open space. Currently, more that one-third of the township's property -- 9,386 acres of a total of 28,049 acres -- is being preserved either as open space, parkland or farmland.
Sustainable & Healthy Communities -- Millburn Environmental Commission and the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum Partnership, Millburn
The partnership is being recognized for its "Millburn Green Challenge" program for fostering community-wide environmental awareness and action. This community education program has resulted in more than 1,700 separate pledges to reduce their carbon footprint through energy conservation, composting, and purchasing locally grown food, among other things.
Clean and Plentiful Water -- Duke Farms Foundation, Hillsborough
Over the past few years, the foundation has restored 9,000 linear feet of shoreline, installed floating islands, enrolled more than 500 acres in two federal programs to ensure the long-term preservation and restoration of wetlands, and the riparian and wetlands corridor that fronts the Raritan River.
Honorable Mention -- West Long Branch
West Long Branch is recognized for its program to restore Franklin Lake. The borough removed approximately 54,000 cubic yards of silt material that had been negatively impacting aquatic stability, water quality and capacity. To prevent future problems, storm water inlets were re-designed to prevent silt from entering the lake.
Environmental Leadership -- Fred R. Profeta, Jr.
Maplewood Deputy Mayor Profeta is recognized for his leadership and emphasis on the environment, including the construction of a new LEED certified police station, a railroad commuter jitney program, programs to foster bicycle transportation, purchasing of biodiesel fuel for municipal vehicles and revamping of the township's recycling program.
CLEAN WATER NEW JERSEY AWARDS
Tier A Municipality -- Andover Township
Andover is being recognized as a leader in stormwater management for implementing innovative solutions, comprehensive maintenance and creating public awareness of stormwater issues. The municipality repaired and improved maintenance at seven stormwater basins, which restored proper function and enhanced storm water infiltration and water quality.
Highway Agency -- Somerset County government
Somerset is recognized for its effort to map stormwater outfalls and provide technical assistance to municipalities within the county. The county received a grant to purchase five Trimble GPS units and 10 ArcMap software licenses to help towns map their stormwater outfalls and comply with the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Stormwater Permit program. Somerset provided training and assistance on use of these GPS units and developed a GPS application to improve mapping efficiency.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
