Hamilton Township receives ‘bronze’ recognition for environmental sustainability
HAMILTON >> Hamilton Township embraces environmentally friendly policies and has the credentials to prove it.
During a Sustainable Jersey luncheon at the recent New Jersey League of Municipalities annual conference, Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede officially accepted an accolade bestowing the 40-square-mile township with the organization’s bronze level certification.
Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit organization that recognizes participating municipalities that push the envelope in promoting good environmental practices. Municipalities must create a so-called “green team” and deliver on other environmental priority actions to qualify for a bronze certification.
The township still has a ways to go to achieve silver-level certification — the highest honor from Sustainable Jersey — but Yaede expressed satisfaction with the township receiving the respectable bronze-level accolade.
“Sustainability and environmentally-friendly efforts are nothing new for our community, but this designation from Sustainable Jersey recognizes the many ways that we continue to protect our local environment,” Yaede said Monday in a press statement. “I also want to acknowledge, and to publicly thank, the dedicated volunteer members on our Environmental Commission who helped us complete our application that secured this honor.”
Hamilton Councilman Rick Tighe welcomed the good news.
“I am glad to see the mayor following the lead of 10 other municipalities in Mercer County who have achieved this level of certification,” he said Tuesday in a statement. “I look forward to working with the mayor and members of Council to continue to participate in such an important environmental program.”
Hamilton Township embraces energy efficiency measures at municipal facilities, has a natural resource protection ordinance and is a designated “Tree City USA.”