Sustainable Jersey Announces 2021 Municipal Champions and Certified Towns

52 towns achieve sustainability certification and 7 special awards recipients receive NJ’s highest honors

Today, Sustainable Jersey announced the recipients of the 2021 Sustainable Jersey municipal awards and the 52 towns that have achieved certification. The announcement was made at the Sustainable Jersey Annual Luncheon held during the New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City. The 2021 municipal award recipients are:

• SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION (Large Category) with 1,250 points: Woodbridge Township (Middlesex County)
• SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION (Medium Category) with 850 points: Madison Borough (Morris County)
• SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION (Small Category) with 435 points: Cape May City (Cape May County)
• MAYOR ART ONDISH LEADERSHIP AWARD: Honorable Ras J. Baraka, Mayor, City of Newark (Essex County)
• CREATIVITY & INNOVATION AWARD: Red Bank Borough (Monmouth County)
• ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD: New Milford Borough (Bergen County)
• COLLABORATION AWARD: Friends Along the Mullica Project: City of Absecon, Atlantic City, City of Brigantine Beach, Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, Town of Hammonton, Mullica Township and the City of Port Republic (Atlantic County)

Review the award descriptions and recipient quotes: Award Descriptions and Quotes.

“The award winners and certified towns exemplify the commitment we need to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. As New Jersey faces issues such as the climate crisis, a growing equity divide and environmental pollution, it is essential that we support municipalities as they do the hard work to meet these challenges at the local level,” said Randall Solomon, executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “These communities are helping New Jersey build back better after the COVID-19 pandemic and it is our honor to work with them as we strive for a better tomorrow!”

Fifty-two towns have achieved Sustainable Jersey certification so far in the 2021 municipal certification cycle. Each municipality that is certified at the bronze-level must submit documentation to show it has completed a balance of the program’s sustainability actions, meeting a minimum of 150 points. This application cycle, 24 towns achieved certification at the more advanced silver-level to make a total of 65 towns that are silver-certified in the program. Silver-level certification requires that a town meet a minimum of 350 points. Currently 224 towns are certified and Sustainable Jersey's 460 participating communities represent nearly 81 percent of the state's municipalities. Review the list of the 2021 Sustainable Jersey Certified Municipalities.