Politics & Government
This $168K Grant Will Help Get Rid Of Litter In Berkeley
The Clean Communities grant gives funding to get trash out of waterways, pick up litter in public areas and more.
BERKELEY, NJ — Things will get tidier in Berkeley thanks to a $168,605 Clean Communities grant from the Murphy Administration, Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced.
Municipalities and counties can use the grant funding to organize volunteer litter cleanups on public lands, purchase litter removal equipment, clear trash from stormwater systems, educate the public, remove graffiti, and enforce litter-related laws and ordinances, according to a news release.
The amount received in Berkeley is among the highest in the county.
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The grant awards were announced in conjunction with an event hosted by the New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC) at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.
“These annual investments through NJ Clean Communities continue to help communities remove unsightly litter and beautify neighborhoods, educate people on the harms of littering, and inspire us to be stewards of the environment we share,” LaTourette said. “DEP is proud to join with NJCCC to announce the awards that ensure towns have the necessary tools to keep New Jersey clean.”
Find out what's happening in Berkeleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In total, the DEP is awarding $24.1 million to eligible municipalities and $3 million to counties across the state. The grant awards are based on population, housing units and miles of municipally owned roadways, as prescribed by state law. They are funded by taxes collected from businesses that produce litter-generating products and penalties paid for litter-related violations. NJCCC, the nonprofit organization partnering with the DEP, oversees the reporting requirements for the program.
Litter comes from many sources, such as people who carelessly toss away their trash, overflowing and uncovered garbage cans, and construction sites. Litter is often dispersed by the wind and carried into stormwater collection systems where it can clog drains, causing flooding and harming wildlife by degrading the quality of the state’s surface waters.
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