Howell Awarded Municipal Blue Star Certification

On September 12, 2016, Clean Ocean Action awarded a Municipal Blue Star Certification to Howell Township, NJ, at a Town Hall ceremony to recognize their efforts to improve water quality. Howell’s Environmental Commission and Green Team executed a number of sustainably-minded initiatives to improve and protect water quality.

The municipal Blue Star program combines the visionary Sustainable Jersey Initiative with Clean Ocean Action’s focus on water quality protection. The program encourages communities to promote healthy waters, resilient communities and environmentally-sound practices through the completion of various projects that protect community watersheds and climate mitigation. Howell attained the
necessary 75 points for the Municipal Blue Star certification. Examples of the actions completed include Education for Sustainability Programs, Natural Resource Inventory, Community Forestry Plan and Tree Cover Goal, and Recycling Education and Enforcement.

In addition to Sustainable Jersey projects, towns are required to choose one of COA’s additional actions. Howell unanimously passed the Stormwater Utility Support Resolution, which focuses attention and effort on matters of water quality associated with the installation, maintenance, retrofitting, improvement, and repair of stormwater infrastructure to improve surface water quality in Howell Township, Monmouth County, and the State of New Jersey.

We encourage Howell to continue on their quest toward water quality improvements through the Municipal Blue Star program.

Any municipality registered or certified in the Sustainable Jersey program is eligible to work toward the Blue Star certification. For more information about COA’s Blue Star Program, please contact Gianna: 732-872-0111.