Galloway Township Achieves Blue Star Scores Big and Sets Record for Water Quality

On January 19^th, COA awarded Galloway Township, NJ with their Municipal Blue Star Certificate at a ceremony at Town Hall to recognize their efforts to improve water quality. Galloway Township sets a record for achieving the highest score and joins fellow Blue Star Municipalities, Wall Township and Long Beach Township. Since the program was launched in September of 2014, three towns have been awarded the certificate and COA has engaged with over 20 towns to obtain Blue Star Certification.

The Municipal Blue Star program combines the visionary Sustainable Jersey Program with Clean Ocean Action’s focus on water quality protection. The Program encourages communities to promote healthy waters, resilient communities, and environmentally sound practices. To achieve Blue Star Award status, a municipality must target “Blue Star” actions for 50% of their total Sustainable Jersey points.

Galloway Township exceeded the necessary 150 points needed to attain certification by completing 234 points. Examples of the actions that they completed include water conservation education program, i-Tree assessment of municipal trees, and reusable bag education program. In addition to Sustainable Jersey projects, towns are required to choose one of Clean Ocean Action additional actions which are, climate adaption for flooding risk, innovative water quality project, model storm water control ordinance for municipalities, plastic bag fee or ban, or storm water utility support resolution. Galloway Township passed a Stormwater Utility Support Resolution on October 13, 2015.  

Galloway Township has been a pioneer in their region for sustainability work and planning for resilience and it is influencing success in their neighboring towns which ultimately is in the best interest of the watershed and estuary. 

Inaugural Blue Star Award Presented to Wall Township

On Wednesday, August 26^th, Clean Ocean Action awarded the Blue Star certification to Wall Township, NJ, to recognize their effort to improve water quality. Clean Ocean Action’s Municipal Blue Star Program was established in 2014 to encourage towns in coastal regions and beyond to prioritize water quality protection measures, while achieving Sustainable Jersey Certification.

Wall Township achieved 90 of the necessary 75 points to attain the Municipal Blue Star certification. Examples of the actions completed include Community Education & Outreach, Education for Sustainability Programs, and Open Space Plans.  In addition to Sustainable Jersey projects, towns are required to choose one of COA’s additional actions. Wall Township completed the Innovative Water Quality Project action through partnering with Monmouth County in a Wreck Pond Sediment Control Project. This project works to improve water quality within the watershed in an effort to help resolve impairments that contribute to the precautionary closings of the Spring Lake beaches. Additionally, Wall Township afforded its residents with a Clean Water and Lawn Conservation Program that educates the community on promoting better conservation green practices. The development of the Program was made possible by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.    

Wall Township joins Long Beach Township as the second of two inaugural Blue Star towns. Congratulation to our Blue Star inductees!  

Inaugural Blue Star Award Presented to Long Beach Township

Clean Ocean Action’s Municipal Blue Star Program was established in 2014 to encourage towns in coastal regions and beyond to prioritize water quality protection measures, while achieving Sustainable Jersey Certification. The Sustainable Jersey program is an action and point-based certification for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, reduce costs, and take steps to improve their quality of life over the long term. These two programs encourage communities to promote healthy waters, resilient communities, and environmentally sound practices.

On Friday, July 24^th, Clean Ocean Action awarded the first of two inaugural Clean Ocean Action Municipal Blue Star Certifications to Long Beach Township, NJ, to recognize their effort to improve water quality. Long Beach Township has been a pioneer in their region for sustainability work and planning for resiliency. They are influencing success in their neighboring towns, which ultimately is in the best interest of the watershed and estuary.

Long Beach Township achieved 140 of the necessary 75 points to attain the Municipal Blue Star certification. Examples of the actions that they completed include Community Education & Outreach, Education for Sustainability Programs, Rain Garden Installation, and Recycling Education & Enforcement. In addition to Sustainable Jersey projects, towns are required to choose one of COA’s additional actions. Long Beach Township completed the Climate Adaptation: Flooding Risk action. Outcomes from this project include infrastructure upgrades for water and sewer piping, as well as finalized plans to rebuild all pump stations above base flood levels to avoid storm damage and shut downs.

COA will be awarding Wall Township, the second of the two inaugural towns, in a ceremony on Wednesday, August 26^th at 7:30pm at the Municipal Building. Congratulation to our Blue Star inductees!