MANCHESTER – Manchester Township is one of 83 municipalities in the state to have been awarded a Sustainable Jersey certification for 2019.
In November, Gary Sylvester, director of the Department of Inspection, Land Use and Planning, and Joseph Veni, supervising engineer in the Department of Public Works, accepted the award on behalf of Manchester Township at the Sustainable Jersey awards luncheon in Atlantic City.
“Environmental sustainability is a key concern for us all, and Manchester Township is proud to once again participate in the Sustainable New Jersey program. I’m proud of the continued effort our Township employees put forth into maintaining this prestigious distinction,” said Mayor Kenneth Palmer.
As part of the Sustainable Jersey qualifications, Manchester Township had to meet a minimum of 150 action points, which can encompass anything from community outreach to energy efficiency efforts. In addition, Manchester was required to create a green team to perform at least two of 12 priority actions.
Manchester Township completed the following:
- Creating a Green Team
- Writing Community Wildfire Protection Plans
- Creating a Ready, Set, Go program
- Identifying vulnerable populations for emergencies
- Creating a Wildfire Safety Council
- Creating a Wind Ordinance
- Creating an Anti-Idling Education and Enforcement Program
- Designing and building a Rain Garden
- Taking the Sustainable Land Use Pledge
- Having an Environmental Commission
- Having an Open Space and Recreation Plan
- Creating a Clustering Ordinance
- Creating an Environmental Impact Statement Ordinance
- Creating a Tree Protection Ordinance
- Having a Prescription Drug Safety and Disposal Program
- Hosting a Community Paper Shredding Day
- Accepting Household Hazardous Waste
- Housing a Recycling Depot
Randy Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey, congratulated all Sustainable Jersey communities, stating: “Earning certification involves more than just implementing sustainable actions. It takes extraordinary leadership and a real commitment to making our communities better.”
Township officials noted that, as Manchester is home to a considerable amount of open space land, ensuring the safety and preservation of the local environment is a priority.
