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Green Infrastructure Committee

Change Committee
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
  1. Organized an in-person tour of The Watershed Institute’s green infrastructure projects and discussed regional watershed planning in the Stony Brook Watershed.
  2. Promoted the new resource Enhanced Stormwater Management Plan for Municipalities to strengthen local green infrastructure implementation. 
  3. Submitted comments to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on the NJ Protecting Against Climate Threats (PACT) Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) Rules Notice of Substantial Change and elevated supportive resolutions to municipal partners.
  4. Submitted recommendations and feedback to national partners through the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange on its “Framework of GSI Practice” resource.
  5. Elevated local educational and volunteer opportunities for GI implementation, and created a space for questions and peer support.
  1. Promoted funding opportunities to advance GI projects. 
  2. Hosted peer learning exchange at Raritan Headwaters Association, facilitated a special GI Champion training during the Membership Meeting, exhibited at the Sustainable Jersey Summit, and hosted a joint meeting with the CSO committee on the Building a Climate Ready NJ initiative.
  3. Developed and published “So You’re a Green Infrastructure Champion, Now What? A Roadmap for Project Planning and Advocacy” to better facilitate green infrastructure projects and help municipalities fulfill their MS4 Permit outreach and education requirements.
  4. Organized conference session, Advancing Green Infrastructure: Navigating New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) Updates.
  1. Developed and published the Rain Garden Facilitator’s Guide and the Green Infrastructure & Climate Change Fact Sheets resources.
  2. Raised awareness about green infrastructure statewide via GI champions and exhibited at various events, including the JWW and LFNJ Membership Meeting, Sustainable Jersey Summit, and Rutgers EcoFair. 
  3. Hosted peer learning exchange sessions during committee meetings, including an overview of the MS4 Permit, the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program’s 2023 commitment updates, and an overview of the Water Supply Plan.
  4. Collaborated with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program to promote and support the largest Green Infrastructure Champion program thus far, which graduated over 200 individuals in May.
  5. Provided recommendations via comments to NJDEP on the Inland Flood Protection Rule.
  1. Published four fact sheets to help local advocates promote green infrastructure in their towns. 
  2. Published Stormwater Skills: Training Resources for Green Infrastructure Construction and Maintenance: to inform municipalities, professionals, and others interested in green infrastructure to identify suitable training programs to fit specific needs.
  3. Published one pager and brochure on How to Develop and Implement Green Infrastructure Maintenance Strategy.
  4. Educated about the benefits of green infrastructure by conducting more than 10 presentations facilitated by Green Infrastructure champions, including presenting at the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed Conference.
  5. Finalizing educational modules to assist green infrastructure champions facilitate workshops.  
  6. Promoting Water Risk and Equity Map tool to help community-based organizations advance their own local advocacy work.
  1. Launched the new JWW Water Risk and Equity Map to show where overburdened communities experience water-related risks.
  2. Published a memo on the ways that stormwater utilities can support green infrastructure.
  3. Helped to shape two chapters of the Green Streets Handbook (completed) and four green infrastructure advocacy fact sheets (in progress).
  4. Developed a document that showcases green infrastructure use on Green Acres projects (to be published in late December 2021).
  5. Began to draft a brochure on green infrastructure maintenance and a list of green infrastructure workforce training programs.
  1. Sent recommendations to the DEP regarding reasonable use of green infrastructure within Green Acres-restricted parks.
  2. Released case studies showing how 3 New Jersey communities—Hoboken, Highland Park, and Camden—planned and implemented green streets to meet regulatory requirements for stormwater management and provide community benefits.
  3. Trained local green infrastructure champions in partnership with the Rutgers Water Resources Program.
  4. Adopted a methodology to map flood-prone environmental justice areas with the CSO Committee.
  1. Worked with New Jersey Department of Transportation and other partners to develop a new Complete and Green Streets policy that includes language for health, equity, and green infrastructure.
  2. Conducted nine Green Infrastructure Champions workshops in partnership with Rutgers Water Resources program and established an advisory committee.
  3. Conducted a national survey of stormwater utility incentive programs for green infrastructure.
  1. Secured funding from EPA Region 2 to produce a green streets handbook.
  2. Working with NJDEP to revise rules, guidance, and tools to integrate green infrastructure into parks, municipal reports, and project inventories.
  3. Completed a first draft of a green infrastructure guide for private property owners and residents.
  1. Identified  new ways for existing parks to manage stormwater via design tips and recommended changes to Green Acres protocols.
  2. Advanced green infrastructure and green streets by educating municipal and county engineers and forging a partnership with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.
  3. Helped municipal leaders promote green infrastructure planning and implementation by creating new Sustainable Jersey “actions.”
  1. Recommended state-level policy changes to support “green streets” that build on NJDOT’s successful complete streets program. 
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