Dear Neighbor,

As warmer weather sets in and we begin enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, we want to take this opportunity to highlight some key initiatives Morris Township is taking to protect our environment for the benefit of generations to come. We must all do our part to protect our environment, and it’s up to towns across the State to help lead the way. On this Earth Day, we encourage you to learn about some important environmental initiatives that are underway in Morris Township:

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions 

In 2020, Morris Township initiated one of the first single-use plastic bag bans in the County, which the Township passed over two years before the State’s pending ban that begins in May. Similarly, to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, Morris Township is moving forward with more stringent requirements in our building code. Through an ordinance introduced at our April meeting, the Township will require future high-density residential structures to have all-electric utilities. Not only will this update to our building code reduce our environmental footprint, it will make residential buildings safer by removing potential hazards from gas or carbon monoxide leaks. 

Furthermore, Morris Township is bolstering our local infrastructure to prepare for the future demands of electric vehicles (EVs). To lead by example, the Township is now requiring all new Municipal vehicles to be EVs when feasible. These include plug-in hybrids for professionals, as well as high-performing police interceptor hybrids for our police force. Charging stations have been installed at our Municipal Building to meet the demands of our transitioning fleet, as well as at Streeter Recreational Complex for residents to utilize while at the pool, tennis courts, or turf fields. 



Morris Township began requiring all new and modified commercial parking facilities to install EV charging ports more than a year before the State instituted similar regulations. As a result, Morris Township will go from having four privately operated charging stations to over fifty available for public use in the coming months. Investing in this infrastructure now will not only allow our community to be ahead of the curve in EV adoption, but will also reduce greenhouse gases in the air we breathe in the near future. 

Protecting Our Open Space

The landscapes of our parks, woodlands, and neighborhoods all play an important role in cleaning the air and sustaining our ecosystem. With the unfortunate but necessary removal of hundreds of ash trees across the Township in both rights of way on streetscapes as well as on municipal property, the Township Committee has allocated over $100,000 for tree replacements, to begin restoring shaded canopies in our neighborhoods and parks. These funds will enable us to plant over 150 trees throughout the Township in 2022. Additional funding will be provided in future budgets to continue this initiative. To better maintain our expanse of public open space and remain competitive in purchasing land to preserve for public enjoyment, the governing body is bolstering our funding of our Open Space Trust Fund.

One way our community can support our environment is by encouraging the plantings of native plants on both public and private properties. Thanks to the diligent work of our Environmental Commission, the Township Committee approved a “Do Not Plant” list to help residents avoid planting species that are invasive to our open spaces and public lands. This invasive species resolution was preceded in 2020 by our ordinance banning the planting of uncontained bamboo. As a result of this initiative, when coming before our land use boards or governing body, commercial and residential developers will be asked to abstain from planting species that are harmful to our environment.

Recognizing Our Advocates

We are fortunate to have an incredibly active Environmental Commission in Morris Township; a group of resident volunteers who work tirelessly year-round to advocate for environmental protection and help curb our footprint on our local ecosystem. Thanks to this group’s leadership, our town has the direction to move towards:

• Receiving our energy from more renewable resources by researching energy aggregation opportunities
• Completing our first Municipal Energy Audit to identify opportunities to reduce our town’s environmental footprint
• Applying for our first certification through Sustainable Jersey
• Developing Morris Township’s long-term strategy to address Climate Change locally

Thanks to their collaboration with local organizations, the Environmental Commission has:

• Coordinated with “Grow It Green” to host their Winter Farmers Market at Convent Station
• Collaborated with the “Great Swamp Watershed Association” to support their native plant sale
• Moved the ball forward on other key initiatives, such as our single-use plastic bag ban

We highly encourage you to follow all the good things being accomplished by our Environmental Commission by subscribing to their newsletter here.

Thank you for reading about the many ways Morris Township is protecting our most valuable resource. We hope you’ll join us in preserving Morris Township’s resources for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Happy Earth Day!

Sincerely,

Morris Township Committee,

Mayor Mark Gyorfy, Deputy Mayor Catherine Wilson, Committeeman Peter Mancuso, Committeewoman Tara Olivo-Moore, & Committeeman Bud Ravitz