Mayors join Federal Officials in Supporting Sustainable Jersey
(l to r) Mayor David DelVecchio, Lambertville, Chris Daggett President and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, US Department of Housing & Urban Development Deputy Secretary, Ron Sims, NJ Congressional Representative, Rush Holt, Regional HUD Administrator Adolfo Currion, Jr., Pam Mount, Committeewoman Lawrence and
Co-Chair Mayors Committee For a Green Future,Mayor John Becivengo, Hamilton Township,
Bill Dressel, League Executive Director and Hopewell Township Administrator and Engineer Paul Pogorzelski
Photo Album of the day's events
Times of Trenton Regional News
Towns look to go green, save cash
Saturday, August 28, 2010
David Karas
STAFF WRITER
EWING -- A small charter bus carrying local, state and federal dignitaries came to a stop just past the Trenton Transit Center yesterday after a driving tour highlighting redevelopment and sustainability projects across the city.
The tour followed a morning gathering of government officials and stakeholders presented by the Municipal Land Use Center (MLUC) at The College of New Jersey. The topic: how municipalities across the state can make "green" decisions to preserve their towns for generations to come.
In attendance was Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell Township), who was joined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Ron Sims and Regional Administrator Adolfo Carrion Jr.
Also present were officials from Trenton, Lawrence, Hopewell, Lambertville and Hamilton, municipalities that have become "Sustainable Jersey Certified" thanks to their dedicated efforts, as well as representatives from counties and municipalities across the state, who attended in the hope of learning from the examples set in Mercer.
"We are the gold standard," said Randall Solomon, Sustainable Jersey co-architect with the MLUC. "The Sustainable Jersey program is a national model, (and) the federal government is looking to replicate that."
The program provides opportunities for towns to "go green, save money and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term." Sustainable Jersey has designed two levels of certification for municipalities that achieve a number of goals, leading to a set point score. There are 65 actions classified into three categories, "Prosperity," "People" and "Planet." From establishing "green" fleets of government vehicles to creating an open space plan, supporting "buy local" programming to solar demonstration projects, the objectives represent a range of solutions. According to Solomon, 288 municipalities statewide have pledged to embark on the certification process, and 34 of those have achieved their goal. "I think the New Jersey municipalities are fairly motivated for this," he said.
Executive Director William Dressel of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities characterized mayors as "local catalysts" across the state who have the opportunity to make their communities more sustainable. "This is good news for municipalities and the taxpayers across the state," he said.
Officials from each of the five Mercer County municipalities featured on the panel were given an opportunity to present to those gathered the initiatives they took to become certified.
Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo touted the township's "green" fleet program as one of its key achievements. "We have been successful in reducing our energy usage and emissions by 6 percent," he said, adding that the township has also begun purchasing environmentally friendly supplies, among other programs it has established.
Hopewell Township Administrator and Engineer Paul Pogorzelski spoke of a multitude of initiatives, including solar panels constructed "in highly-visible and accessible areas," affordable housing opportunities, and garden and recycling programs in schools. Officials also conducted energy audits of municipal properties to evaluate usage and possible ways to save both money and energy. "We've invested $7 million in the process," he said.
Mayor David DelVecchio of Lambertville spoke about the importance of volunteers for their efforts. Being that the city is small, he said, "citizen involvement is crucial for us."
Also present was Councilwoman Paula Mount of Lawrence, who serves as vice chair of the Mayor's Committee for a Green Future. Mount owns Turhune Orchards along with her husband and she spoke about the importance of preserving farmland. "If we can get the government to help us," she said, "then we will become sustainable. We have the plans, (and) we want regional action."
Trenton's Mayor Tony Mack spoke about several projects already under way, including plans for the Trenton Transit Center and the East Trenton Collaboration, which would aim to create open space, parks and promote job development, among other goals.
Sims announced partnerships between HUD and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and even the Department of Justice, which he said was interested in creating connections with its safe community programming. "You can't have a sustainable community unless it is a safe community," he said.
He explained such efforts must be collaborative, as sustainability issues know no boundaries. "Dirty air does not stop at a city line, or a county line," he said. "Liveability and sustainability means Americans will be competitive throughout the rest of this century."
When speaking about support from HUD, Carrion praised the work of the MLUC and pledged support for further involvement. "We are here to roll up our sleeves and create a smarter set of communities here in New Jersey," he said.
Holt, who was instrumental in securing federal funding to create the MLUC, described himself as a "beaming parent" when hearing about the accomplishments of participating municipalities. "These are people who can make things happen in New Jersey," he said. "We are making, day-by-day, decisions that affect the liveability of our communities."
It seemed clear that by the end of the day, officials were energized to continue in what Donna Drewes, co-architect for Sustainable Jersey, described as a "competition to out-green one's neighbor."
