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NEWS
RELEASE For
release at your earliest convenience For
further information, please contact Stephen Mountain at 543-4555 Mendham
Township Receives Green Acres Grant The
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has announced that Mendham
Township has qualified for a Green Acres grant of $750,000.
The award is being provided through the Department’s Planning Incentive
Program. The
Planning Incentive Program is a new Green Acres grant program designed to
promote and reward municipalities with open space plans supported by local open
space preservation trusts. The
program provides municipalities with block grant/loan awards to be used on any
open space project included within the Township’s local open space inventory.
Grant/loan awards are based upon the quality of the Township’s plan and
commitment to open space preservation. Since
the inception of the Green Acres program in the early 1960s, the Township has
received millions of dollars in grants and loans for open space preservation.
These funds have enabled the Township to acquire over 500 acres of land
for preservation purposes. It
is anticipated that this year’s grant/loan award will be used to fund the
Township’s preservation of the Clyde Potts Reservoir. For
further information about the Planning Incentive award program or Mendham
Township’s open space preservation program, please contact Township
Administrator, Stephen Mountain at 543-4555. The
Tomkin’s tract, located just off Route 24, on the Township’s border with
Chester Township, is a hidden natural wonder, featuring steep, rugged topography
and pristine forest. The property
ties together a natural green-way of over 800 acres of contiguous open space
spanning from the Schiff Nature Preserve to Mount Paul Park.
The
Township purchased the property for $1,300,000, using local open space funds, a
County open space grant of $500,000 and State Green Acres grant funding.
The Township’s local open space trust fund is supported by the $0.04
open space tax. To date the trust
fund has been used to acquire, four properties totaling over 400 acres in all. “I
am proud of the effort our Township has made to preserve open space and look
forward to many more acquisitions like the Tomkin’s tract in the future,"
said Mayor Porter. “We are
building a green infrastructure in our township that preserves our community’s
character and will be enjoyed by residents now and forever.” The
Tomkin’s tract will be dedicated with an official ceremony at the property
later this fall. The date and time
of this event will be announced at a later date. #### |
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