PETERSBURG – Municipal Engineer Paul Dietrich reported to Upper Township Committee members at its June 13 meeting that efforts to win a highly competitive Sustainable Jersey grant for an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) fellow have been successful.
David Becker-Turk, the EDF fellow, just completed a master’s program at Arizona State University in Civil-Sustainable Engineering. Becker-Turk will be working with the municipality this summer, as well as three other municipalities in the vicinity: Washington Township, Ventnor, and Cape May.
Funding for Becker-Turk’s tenure is provided by Jersey Central Power & Light, New Jersey Natural Gas, South Jersey Gas and EDF. The program is designed to provide expertise and support for evaluation, planning, and implementation of projects that will help improve the energy performance of municipal facilities.
Becker-Turk’s specific responsibilities for Upper include energy action items, as part of the Sustainable Jersey program, and the municipality’s own Plan Endorsement Energy items, as described in its Planning Implementation Agenda.
A first assignment for Becker-Turk will be starting on an inventory of buildings and vehicles and their respective energy usage, and then he will analyze ways or programs that will assist in reducing Upper’s energy footprint, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
