Sustainable Jersey Announces 2024 Awards to Seven Municipalities for Exceptional Environmental Leadership

78 New Jersey towns recognized for Sustainable Jersey certification

Today, Sustainable Jersey announced the recipients of the 2024 Annual Awards and recognized the 78 towns that achieved certification in 2024. A capacity crowd filled the Crown Ballroom at the Sheraton Hotel in Atlantic City to celebrate the top municipalities and their work.

Speakers at the event included: New Jersey Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin; New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Christine Guhl-Sadovy; and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Assistant Commissioner Elizabeth Dragon. Maria Spina, Manager PSEG Foundation and Corporate Social Responsibility announced that the PSEG Foundation is providing $200,000 in grant money to New Jersey municipalities through the Sustainable Jersey Grant Program in 2024/2025.

Established in 2009, the Sustainable Jersey Annual Awards support and recognize the municipalities and leaders who have demonstrated sustainability excellence. Review the 2024 Sustainable Jersey Annual Award Descriptions and Recipient Quotes.

The 2024 Sustainable Jersey Annual Award recipients are:

Sustainability Champion (Large) Hillsborough Township, Somerset County with 830 points

Sustainability Champion (Medium) Madison Borough, Morris County with 1,000 points

Sustainability Champion (Small) Cape May City, Cape May County with 445 points

Mayor Art Ondish Leadership Award

The Honorable Robert Conley, Mayor of Madison Borough, Morris County

Creativity & Innovation Award

Margate City, Atlantic County

Rookie of the Year Award

Barrington Borough, Camden County

Collaboration Award

Long Branch City, Monmouth County

Gold Star Recipients

Chatham Borough (Morris County): Gold Star in Health

Hillsborough Township (Somerset County): Gold Star in Health

Sustainable Jersey Certified Towns (2024)

50 Bronze and 28 Silver Certified Towns: Review the list of the 2024 Sustainable Jersey Certified Municipalities.

“It is an honor to take time to recognize these incredible leaders and municipalities and the work they are doing to create a healthy environment for all,” said Randall Solomon, director of Sustainable Jersey. “From advancing energy efficiency to reducing waste and increasing climate resiliency, these towns have demonstrated their relentless commitment to creating a more sustainable future. We will continue to provide the tools, training and financial incentives they need to make progress.”

Seventy-eight towns achieved Sustainable Jersey certification in the 2024 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. For this application cycle, 28 towns achieved certification at the more advanced silver-level to make a total of 68 towns that are silver-certified in the program. Silver-level certification requires that a town meet a minimum of 350 points. Currently 208 towns are certified and Sustainable Jersey's 466 participating communities represent nearly 83% of the state's municipalities. The Sustainable Jersey Annual Luncheon is held during the New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference.