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State Awards Grants to
Local Environmental Agencies
Funds to Implement Grassroots Projects
TRENTON 03/25 -The Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) awarded 65 local environmental agencies
a total of $165,000 to promote local environmental endeavors.
These locally created projects range from a vernal habitat
study, a schoolyard habitat project and an educational native
landscaping project to surface water sampling and evaluation
and the Thomas Pond bio-filtration project.
"The recipients of this year's grants
help us statewide in achieving our goals," said DEP
Commissioner Bradley Campbell. "The stewardship
of local environmental agencies has helped the Department
achieve a goal of working in partnership with local governments
on innovative ideas for grassroots projects."
The grants are awarded to environmental
commissions and soil conservation districts through DEP's
Office of External Affairs.
The Environmental Services Program (ESP)
matching grants assist local environmental agencies and
soil conservation districts to inventory and document environmental
resources. Funds are also used to develop practices to improve
those resources and to prepare and distribute information
on how we can directly protect the environment.
Other projects that received funding from
this year's grants include: natural resource inventories
and updates; a restoration plan for Drakes Brook; chemical
testing of Washington Township's rivers and tributaries;
a rail/trail projects; storm sewer mapping in GIS (Geographic
Information Systems) format and environmental awareness
newsletters.
Formal agreements between the DEP and the
grant recipients will be finalized by the end of June. Since
the program's inception, more than $2 million has been awarded
to local agencies statewide. Grants range from $1,000 to
$2,500, and applicants must match at least 50 percent of
the total cost of the project. Applications must be received
by December 1, and applicants are notified in mid-March.
For more information on the ESP matching
grants, contact the DEP Environmental Services Program at
609 984 0828, or visit the web site at http:
www.state.nj.us/dep/esp. A full list of the recipients
statewide is posted on the web site.
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