Green Infrastructure Committee

1. Foster collaborative discussions to address 2026 Green Infrastructure challenges and opportunities. 
2. Identify and share funding opportunities for green infrastructure projects. 
3. Promote green infrastructure implementation best and promising strategies, as towns advance MS4 permits and related projects. 

Note: The Watershed Institute is providing backbone support for the GI committee.

1. Advance implementation of green infrastructure by highlighting local educational or volunteer opportunities and organize at least one in-person meeting/GI tour.
2. Elevate two green infrastructure success story examples to showcase effective GI practices to inspire and educate others.
3. Provide Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and retrofit guidance for municipalities.

1. Connect communities to funding: Guide communities toward funding available for green infrastructure projects, and work with state and federal agencies to gather information on funding opportunities.
2. Increase access to GI resources: Explore how to offer green infrastructure resources in different languages. Work with JWW member organizations and identify advocacy groups to help elevate resources beyond JWW. 
3. Connect with communities through projects: Identify hands-on activities or in-person events to be present during and share resources. Host at least one in-person committee meeting with an educational component.

1. Create a green infrastructure outreach guidance inventory for GI Champions that outlines materials, resources, presentations, and key takeaways based on the audience.
2. Collaborate with the Climate Resilience Committee on the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJ PACT) rules related to stormwater management and green infrastructure. 
3. Promote green infrastructure by curating Spanish resources and learning how bilingual speakers connect with their community on water-related issues.

1. Develop a fact sheet for municipalities with resources that link green infrastructure to climate change, health outcomes, and equity.
2. Educate about the benefits of green infrastructure by conducting 10 presentations facilitated by Green Infrastructure champions.
3. Enhance the Water Risk Equity Map with updates and promote the site by holding two outreach sessions.

1. Strengthen the green infrastructure workforce by publishing a fact sheet with green infrastructure certification programs and employment strategies.
2. Identify funding sources for green infrastructure retrofit projects, share with GI champions, and present findings in a fact sheet.
3. Develop the JWW Water Equity Map to show where overburdened communities experience water-related risks. By July 2021, develop the interactive map. By December 2021, identify hotspots.
4. Identify and implement a project to continue to advance the understanding of stormwater utilities in MS4 towns by sharing resources.

1. Recommend green infrastructure incentive programs for NJ stormwater utilities based on a national review of best practices.
2. Recommend regulatory changes to the DEP regarding reasonable use of green infrastructure within Green Acres-restricted parks.
3. Continue the Green Infrastructure Champions program and collaborate with partner organizations to connect champions with interested communities.
4. Solicit five NJ green infrastructure projects and share them as case studies in the New Jersey Green Infrastructure Municipal Toolkit. Focus case studies on the following topics:  
   • (a) Green streets
   • (b) Park projects that include GI and minimize tree removal

1. Work with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create and promote a Green Streets handbook for New Jersey communities.
2. Recommend revisions to Sustainable Jersey’s Complete Street Actions to include green stormwater management.
3. Recommend policies to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding reasonable use of green infrastructure within Green Acres-restricted parks.
4. Issue recommendations, based on a national review of best practices, for New Jersey stormwater utilities to create green infrastructure incentive programs.
5. Continue the Green Infrastructure Champions program by making training broadly accessible through webinars and the development of a “train the trainer” program.
6. Establish a process to solicit and share New Jersey green infrastructure projects and case studies to include in existing green infrastructure inventories.

1. Support the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association Water Infrastructure Policy Committee in developing state policy recommendations on water infrastructure and announcing them at a fall event.
2. Partner with the New Jersey League of Municipalities and other Jersey Water Works members to provide an educational webinar series for municipal officials.
3. Encourage partners to host events and conferences that include water-related sessions and invite state and local officials to participate.

1. Advance implementation of “green streets” by recommending policy changes, promoting state and federal pilot projects and expanding the complete streets “action” in the Sustainable Jersey certification program.
2. Partner with Jersey Water Works members to host green infrastructure trainings for key stakeholders.
3. Recommend ways to conduct an inventory of green infrastructure installations and their performance.
4. Facilitate community advocacy for green infrastructure by assessing stakeholders’ needs for green infrastructure tools and training and developing solutions to fill the gaps.

1. Develop two Sustainable Jersey actions for green infrastructure (planning and installation).
2. Better understand how and which green infrastructure techniques can be used in or next to parks that can control stormwater generated elsewhere under existing regulations and identify necessary modifications to state controls.
3. Review existing efforts and need for a database of green infrastructure installations and monitoring data in NJ.
4. Encourage NJ and local DOTs to support green infrastructure best practices on green streets (e.g., right-of-way bioswales) by identifying likely applications, performance, and permitting requirements that could be adopted by the state, counties and/or municipalities.
5. Develop green infrastructure educational materials for the construction and development industries, such as a design charrette that explores the use of various GI techniques.