KEEA/PBI Conference 2013

Sustainability In Municipalities

Using Certification Programs To Promote Sustainability At The Local Government Level

Mark Warner Director Of Energy Sustainability Institute at TCNJ & Sustainable Jersey

Enabling Municipal Engagement

• Municipalities Can Be A Powerful Resource And Leverage-Point For Promoting Sustainability (especially in NJ!)

• But They Are Most Effective When They Have An Organizing Framework, Good Resources, Best Practice References, Can Benefit From The Work Of Others, And Receive Recognition (And Other Benefits) For Their Work

Policy and Planning,Governance and Practice

Fresh Water andSanitation

Energy AndTransportation

AgricultureAnd Land Use

Bio-SphereStewardship

Public Health And Population

Sustainability Is A Big Idea:

A Certification Program For Municipalities In New Jersey:

•Provides An Organizing Framework•Identifies actions that help towns become more sustainable, actions earn points toward certification •Provides tools, resources, and guidance that help communities make progress•Provides access to grants and funding •Provides Recognition And Visibility

Sustainable Jersey™

Participating Communities

• Program start: February 2009

• 396 (70%) NJ municipalities participating

• 82% of NJ’s population lives in these communities

• 116 municipalities certified:

105 towns at bronze level

11 towns at silver level

Who Participates In Sustainable Jersey?

Notes: (1) Partisan category based on data from 2010 NJ Legislative District Data Book.(2) Registration and Certification Statistics current as of 4/2/2012.

Municipal Governing

Body Majority

All New Jersey Municipalities

Registered in Sustainable Jersey

Certified in Sustainable Jersey

Democrat 183 32% 119 33% 36 33%

Republican 325 58% 203 57% 57 53%

Independent 58 10% 37 10% 15 14%

Participants Come From All Demographics And Affiliations:

Program Impact

• Since 2010, approximately 4,000 discrete actions have been implemented and submitted for certification

• 2,600 were approved as meeting the Sustainable Jersey standards

• A 65% success rate• Hundreds of formal “Green Teams” have

been formed by local governments

Sustainable Jersey Energy Elements

• Energy Is A Large Component Of The Program About a quarter of all possible actions About a third of all possible points

• Significant Funding Is Possible For Energy Actions

• Cover A Range Of Sustainable Energy Pathways: Building Efficiency (audits and measures) Municipal/Community Energy & GHG Inventories Renewable Energy Projects

Energy Program Direction

The Program Is Always Evolving: Overall design optimization & prioritization Better quantification of impact Expansions (renewables, electric vehicles) Leveraging impact into the community Detailed study on efficiency audit follow-thru

Stay Involved!

SustainableJersey.com

info@sustainablejersey.com

609-771-2938