FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong> Contact: <\/strong> Grants range from $12,000 to $250,000 and will fund costs associated with planning, site preparation, trees, planting, watering, monitoring, and related expenses over a three-year period.<\/p>\n Grant awards are as follows:<\/p>\n Atlantic County<\/strong> Bergen County<\/strong> Camden County<\/strong> Essex County<\/strong> Gloucester County <\/strong> Hudson County<\/strong> Mercer County<\/strong> Middlesex County<\/strong> Monmouth County<\/strong> Passaic County<\/strong> Somerset County <\/strong> The K-12 grant recipients have an additional opportunity for student engagement with these projects to support the New Jersey Climate Change Education Student Learning Standards<\/a>. Through continued support and advocacy for climate change initiatives by Governor Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, New Jersey became the first state to incorporate climate change education in content areas.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, the Murphy Administration announced the release of the Summary of Climate Change in New Jersey<\/em><\/a>, an important resource developed by the DEP to help teachers throughout the state understand and incorporate climate science into their lesson plans.<\/p>\n The Trees for Schools program is funded through New Jersey\u2019s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative<\/a>, a multi-state, market-based program that establishes a regional cap on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power plants. Proceeds from cap auctions are used to fund programs that benefit the environment.<\/p>\n This grant program aligns with the priorities set forth in New Jersey\u2019s RGGI Strategic Funding Plan<\/a>, which supports the state\u2019s commitment to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions, transition to clean energy, and improve environmental conditions in communities that have been disproportionately burdened by pollution.<\/p>\n The Trees for Schools grant recipients will now work with the project team to develop their tree project design and will participate in tree-planting workshops. The tree plantings are scheduled for spring 2024.<\/p>\n The DEP\u2019s newly updated climate change website includes a more user-friendly homepage and a collection of interactive story maps titled Climate Change in New Jersey: Impacts and Effects<\/a>, which provide up-to-date climate change research, build upon the findings of the 2020 NJ Scientific Report on Climate Change<\/a>, and use a direct, easy-to-understand format that includes maps, photos, graphs, animations and more.<\/p>\n About The College of New Jersey<\/strong> About Sustainable Jersey<\/strong>
\nSeptember 22, 2023<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nLawrence Hajna (609) 292-2994
\nVincent Grassi \u00a0(609) 984-1795
\nCaryn Shinske (609) 984-1795<\/p>\n<\/div>\nMARKING CLIMATE WEEK, DEP, TCNJ AND SUSTAINABLE JERSEY ANNOUNCE AWARD OF $4.55 MILLION IN TREES FOR SCHOOLS GRANTS<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Funded by Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction proceeds, the Trees for Schools grant program will help mitigate climate change through the planting of more than 3,000 trees across the state, many in overburdened communities and those experiencing elevated temperatures due to insufficient numbers of trees and an excess of paved areas.The program is a joint effort of the DEP, Sustainable Jersey and The College of New Jersey and is among a number of initiatives the DEP has announced in conjunction with Climate Week. Climate Week provides the public with an opportunity to understand the impacts climate change<\/a> is having on our planet and the steps we must take now to become more resilient.
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\n\u201cThese grants are an important step to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and are an investment in healthier schools and communities,\u201d Commissioner LaTourette said<\/strong>. \u201cTrees store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases and energy use, thereby mitigating the impacts of climate change and strengthening the resilience of our communities. Equally important, the planting of these trees will inspire our young people to become tomorrow\u2019s leaders in the fight against climate change.\u201d\u201cCongratulations to the schools, colleges, and universities that received a Trees for Schools grant. Planting and caring for trees help our students learn about ecosystems and the valuable role trees play,\u201d said Randall Solomon, director of Sustainable Jersey<\/strong>. \u201cWe look forward to working with the grant recipients to expand their campus tree canopy while allowing students this important connection.\u201dSeventy-five percent of grant project sites are located in an overburdened community<\/a>, which surpasses the program\u2019s goal of allocating 40 percent of the grant funding for applicants located in overburdened communities. Moreover, many of the trees will be planted in urban communities where excessive paving and deficient tree cover results in higher temperatures, a condition known as the heat-island effect.<\/p>\n
\nGalloway Township Public Schools, $110,893<\/p>\n
\nBergen Community College, $250,000; Bergenfield Public Schools, $12,346; Carlstadt-East Rutherford Regional School District, $37,675; Closter Public Schools, $47,940; Garfield Public School District, $86,042; River Edge Public Schools, $137,558<\/p>\n
\nAudubon Public School District, $106,100; Camden County College, $167,550; Cherry Hill Public Schools,\u00a0$250,000; Collingswood Board of Education, $71,225; Rutgers University \u2013 Camden, $72,139<\/p>\n
\nBelleville Board of Education, $249,639; Bloomfield Township School District, $250,000;
\nEast Orange Public Schools,\u00a0$227,477; New Jersey Institute of Technology, $188,554
\nPhilip’s Academy Charter School, $149,682; Rutgers University \u2013 Newark, $100,291
\nSouth Orange-Maplewood School District, $25,342<\/p>\n
\nClayton Public School District, $21,643; Rowan University, $168,707; Westville School District $12,569<\/p>\n
\nHudson County Community College, $217,400; Jersey City Public Schools, $249,752<\/p>\n
\nPaul Robeson Charter School, $158,011<\/p>\n
\nDunellen Public Schools, $68,164; Edison Township Board of Education, $54,021; Rutgers Gardens, $249,385; Rutgers University – New Brunswick,\u00a0$161,706<\/p>\n
\nLong Branch Board of Education, $109,700; Manasquan Public School District, $99,690<\/p>\n
\nBloomingdale School District,\u00a0$71,800; Paterson Public Schools, $250,000<\/p>\n
\nSomerville Board of Education,\u00a0$119,946<\/p>\n
\nThe College of New Jersey (TCNJ)<\/a> is a highly selective institution that is consistently recognized as one of the top comprehensive colleges in the nation. Founded in 1855 as the New Jersey State Normal School, TCNJ maintains the seventh highest four-year graduation rate among all public colleges and universities. The Sustainability Institute at TCNJ<\/a> administers Sustainable Jersey.<\/p>\n
\nSustainable Jersey is a non-profit organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. Sustainable Jersey participants (municipalities and schools) have successfully implemented and documented more than 23,467 sustainability actions. Sustainable Jersey has provided more than $7.4 million in grants to municipalities, school districts and schools for community-based projects that create healthy and sustainable communities in New Jersey. Sustainable Jersey<\/a> is a certification program for municipalities and Sustainable Jersey for Schools<\/a> is a certification program for public schools. For information from Sustainable Jersey, contact Kristy Ranieri, (973) 762-1510.<\/p>\n