Home / Belmar / Sustainability / Belmar one of first towns to receive Sustainable Jersey Certification
Belmar’s many efforts to develop a sustainable community were recognized during the League of Municipalities Conference in November. Belmar was one of only 28 towns (out of 240 who applied, and 566 towns in the State) who met the rigorous requirements for the coveted designation of Certified Sustainable Jersey community in the first year of the program. Attending the November 17 awards luncheon during the League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City to accept the award for Belmar were Mayor Ken Pringle and Belmar resident and Belmar Green Team member, Tom Latza. Tom, who is a Rutgers Certified Environmental Steward, served as Belmar’s project coordinator.
“While many of the municipalities were virtually starting from scratch, Belmar can be very proud that it had the vast majority of the requirements already in place. Thanks to the Mayor and Council, the Belmar Environmental Commission, the Shade Tree Commission, the Beautification Committee, the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign and many other organizations with great foresight, my job was mainly documenting the many accomplishments of the Borough,” said Latza.
To become Sustainable Jersey certified, Belmar submitted documentation totaling 190 points in sustainable actions – nearly doubling the minimum 100 required points. The points were available in a number of areas, such as improving energy efficiency and health and wellness, smart land use and transportation, reducing waste, sustaining local economies, protecting natural resources, and addressing diversity and equity.
In addition to reaching 100 points, each community had to create a Green Team and select at least 2 out of 4 priority action options. Belmar did 3 of the 4 priority actions by undertaking Energy Audits in municipal facilities, adopting a Sustainable Land Use Pledge and adopting a Water Conservation Ordinance.
Sustainable Jersey is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, control costs and save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. The innovative new program is an initiative of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities’ Mayors Committee for a Green Future, the Municipal Land Use Center at the College of New Jersey, the New Jersey Sustainable State Institute at Rutgers University, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Rutgers Center for Green Building, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and a coalition of New Jersey non-profits, state agencies, and experts in the field. To learn more about the Sustainable Jersey certification visit www.sustainablejersey.com.
To read the entire press release on Belmar’s Sustainable Jersey certification click here.
