New Milford Awarded Clean Communities Grant Funding

The Christie Administration Monday announced almost $16 million in Clean Communities grants to fund litter cleanup efforts in municipalities and counties to “help beautify New Jersey’s communities and roadsides.”

The DEP awarded $13.86 million to 559 eligible municipalities. Among this year's recipients was New Milford with $23,068.81. Surrounding communities were awarded the following: River Edge $15,643.05, Oradell $12,277.54, Dumont $23,672.67 and Bergenfield $32,164.

Although the grant money has not been received and, therefore, not yet earmarked, borough officials said that in past years the grant money has been used to fund the following: environmental programs for the elementary schools; purchase of items needed for Clean Communities Day; purchase of street sweeper brooms for the street cleaner; disposal of residential tires; the purchase of books on recycling and the environment for the school libraries; the purchase of additional recycling containers; the purchase of additional garbage cans to be placed in the borough; the purchase of roll-off containers for the Recycling Dpt.; the purchase of paint hardener crystals for disposal of latex paint; and promotional items celebrating the environment such as litter bags, tote bags, pens, pencils and coloring books for children. 

“This grant program is a perfect example of state, local and nonprofit partnerships working together to maximize the use of our resources to address environmental issues,” said Jane Kozinski, Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Management. “Equally important, schools, community groups, local governments and local businesses participate in the cleanups funded by these grants, boosting community spirit and civic pride.”

As established by law, the nonprofit Clean Communities Council oversees the reporting requirements for the program.

“Clean Communities funding is a real blessing for municipalities and counties in New Jersey,” said Clean Communities Council Executive Director Sandy Huber. “This money offsets strained budgets by providing funding for volunteer cleanups, purchase of equipment related to cleanup and storm drain activities, enforcement of litter laws, and education in the schools. Clean Communities has a 20-year legacy in New Jersey as the only fully funded, statewide anti-litter program.  We are grateful to Governor Chris Christie for his ongoing efforts to keep New Jersey’s communities clean.”

The Clean Communities 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 municipality. Disbursements to counties are based on the number of miles of roads each county owns.

Overall Bergen County was set to receive $114,416, the fourth highest amount awarded behind Ocean, Cumberland and Burlington Counties. New Milford is among the towns set to be awarded the most in the county, in excess of $23,000.

Litter comes from pedestrians, motorists, overflowing household garbage, construction sites and uncovered trucks, and is often blown by the wind until it is trapped somewhere, as along a fence. People tend to litter when an area is already littered, and when they do not feel a sense of ownership or community pride. Litter is unsightly, unhealthy can create a negative public image. 

Among the activities funded by the grants throughout the state are volunteer cleanups of public properties, adoption and enforcement of local anti-littering ordinances, beach cleanups, public information and education programs, purchases of equipment used to collect litter, purchases of litter receptacles and recycling bins, purchases of anti-litter signs, purchases of supplies to remove graffiti, and cleanups of stormwater systems that can disperse trash into streams, rivers and bays.