Hopewell Township has met the rigorous requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey certification at the bronze level. Certified towns were announced at the Sustainable Jersey Annual Luncheon on November 18, 2025, in Atlantic City, during the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference.
Sustainable Jersey鈥檚 participating communities now represent nearly 83% of all municipalities in New Jersey, reflecting a growing statewide movement toward sustainability. 鈥淎chieving Bronze Certification with Sustainable Jersey is a tremendous accomplishment for our community,鈥� said Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning. 鈥淚t reflects the hard work of our volunteers, staff, Environmental Commission and Green Team, and Township Committee, all of whom are committed to building a greener, more resilient Hopewell Township.鈥�
To become certified, municipalities must document positive actions that focus on people, prosperity, and the planet, meeting the following requirements:
- Establish a 鈥済reen team鈥� or equivalent body that coordinates sustainability efforts.
- Complete a certain number of actions across categories such as energy, waste, natural resources, land use, outreach, etc., reaching a minimum point total to qualify for Bronze.
- Document those actions and submit with the certification application.
Hopewell Township was specifically recognized for its efforts in recycling, natural resource protection, energy efficiency, and community outreach. 鈥淚t is a privilege to support these efforts as liaison to the Environment Commission,鈥� said Committee Member Uma Purandare. 鈥淔rom energy conservation to community engagement, this recognition shows that our collective efforts are making a real impact.鈥�
In 2025, 83 municipalities achieved Sustainable Jersey certification. Of these, 52 towns earned bronze certification and 31 achieved silver certification鈥攖he program鈥檚 more advanced level. Bronze-level certification requires a municipality to document completion of a balanced set of the program鈥檚 sustainability actions, meeting a minimum of 150 points.
Currently, 191 towns across New Jersey are certified through the Sustainable Jersey program, which continues to serve as a model for community-based environmental progress. 鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to see communities of every size across New Jersey leading the way toward a more sustainable and resilient future,鈥� said Randall Solomon, director of Sustainable Jersey. 鈥淭hese municipalities are not waiting for change鈥攖hey鈥檙e creating it, through action, innovation, and collaboration.鈥�