WEST DEPTFORD — Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Speaker John J. Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro announced the receipt of Clean Communities grants to help municipalities and counties in the region conduct litter cleanup and beautification efforts for communities.
East Greenwich Township received a grant of $22,626.52; Logan Township $15,546.09; South Harrison Township $8,830.91; Swedesboro $5,014.59; and Woolwich Township $23,146.64.
“These grants are important because they improve the quality of life and they help keep the environment clean,” said Sweeney. “Litter can have a negative impact on local communities and on natural resources.”
The grants from the State Department of Environmental Protection include $141,562 for Gloucester County, $123,786 for Salem County and $187,816 for Cumberland County. Additional grants totaling $529,705 are going directly to 33 municipalities in the Third Legislative District.
“This funding is helpful to the counties and municipal governments that provide important services with limited resources,” said Burzichelli. “This means less of a burden on local taxpayers.”
Activities funded by the 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, litter receptacles, recycling bins, anti-litter signs and supplies to remove graffiti.
“Clean communities are important to local residents who take pride in their home towns,” said Taliaferro. “It’s important to remove litter from sidewalks, roadsides and open space.”
The New Jersey Clean Communities oversees the reporting requirements for the program. The allocations to municipalities are based on the number of housing units and miles of municipally owned roadways within each municipality.
