Cinnaminson Awarded Clean Communities Grant For $32K

CINNAMINSON, NJ — Cinnaminson will receive a Clean Communities grant for $32,791.19, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced.

It is part of $19.4 million in annual Clean Communities grants to help municipalities and counties remove litter to beautify neighborhoods, improve water quality and enhance quality of life.

Municipalities will share in $17.3 million in funding, and counties will share in $2.1 million in funding. Burlington County was awarded $161,449, one of 11 counties that were awarded a grant in excess of $100,000.

“Clean Communities grants help municipalities and counties with the important task of removing unsightly litter, often from roadways and around stormwater collection systems, to enhance quality of life,” NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said. “Beautifying our communities through these types of cleanups help improve water quality and natural resources while also protecting wildlife and their habitats.”

The program is funded by a legislated user-fee on manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors that produce litter-generating products. The nonprofit New Jersey Clean Communities Council oversees the reporting requirements for the program. Disbursements are based on housing units and miles of municipally owned roadways.

“Municipalities and counties are strongly encouraged to use these grants to pay for volunteer and paid cleanups, badly-needed equipment purchases, enforcement activities and education,” New Jersey Clean Communities Council Executive Director Sandy Huber said. “We are grateful for funding that helps keep New Jersey clean. We are proud to serve as an educational resource for communities, as we drive many of our campaigns to engage the younger generations to help mold positive, long-term behaviors toward discarding litter.”

Activities funded by Clean Communities grants include cleanups of stormwater systems that can disperse trash into streams, rivers and bays; volunteer cleanups of public properties; adoption and enforcement of local anti-littering ordinances; beach cleanups; public information and education programs; and purchases of litter collection equipment such as receptacles, recycling bins, anti-litter signs and graffiti removal supplies.