TRENTON – The state Department of Environmental Protection is awarding $19.4 million in annual Clean Communities grants to assist municipalities and counties with litter cleanup and programs that beautify communities and enhance the quality of life, Acting Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced June 7.
The DEP is awarding more than $17.2 million to eligible municipalities and nearly $2.2 million to the state’s 21 counties.
Cape May County will receive $64,845.
Municipalities will receive:
Avalon, $24,498, Cape May, $18,135, Cape May Point, $4,000.
Dennis Township, $21,201, Lower Township, $73,775, Middle Township, $51,583.
North Wildwood, $34,098, Ocean City, $88,658, Sea Isle City, $26,965.
Stone Harbor, $14,581, Upper Township, $36,232, West Cape May, $5,121.
West Wildwood, $4,000, Wildwood, $27,366, Wildwood Crest, $23,478, Woodbine, $7,637.
“Litter is not only unsightly, it poses a significant threat to our environment because much of it – including plastics that do not degrade readily – is carried by stormwater runoff into our ecologically sensitive waterways and wetlands,” Acting Commissioner McCabe stated in a release. “Appropriately, some of the areas receiving the largest grants are our cities, where it is particularly important that we focus litter removal efforts.”
The nonprofit New Jersey Clean Communities oversees reporting requirements for the program. Grants are funded by a legislated user-fee on manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors that produce litter-generating products.
Disbursements to municipalities are based on the number of housing units and miles of municipally-owned roadways within each town.
“This funding is critical to our efforts to keep New Jersey clean,” stated Sandy Huber, executive director of New Jersey Clean Communities. “Municipalities and counties will use Clean Communities grant funding to pay for programs such as volunteer and paid cleanups, equipment purchases, enforcement activities and public education.”
Activities funded by Clean Communities grants include cleanups of stormwater systems that can disperse trash into streams, rivers and bays; volunteer cleanups of public properties; adoption and enforcement of local anti-littering ordinances; beach cleanups; public information and education programs; and purchases of litter collection equipment such as receptacles, recycling bins, anti-litter signs and graffiti removal supplies.
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