Maplewood has been chosen as the inaugural winner of the Sustainable Jersey Leadership Award by Sustainable Jersey,  a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green. Mayor De Luca will accept the award on behalf of the township at the first annual Sustainable Jersey Awards, to be presented on Nov. 17 in Atlantic City. Maplewood will also be recognized as one of 30 extraordinary towns that have met the rigorous requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey certification.

New Jersey is the first state to have a comprehensive sustainability program linking certification with strong state and private financial incentives, supported by technical expertise and training. The towns in the program have shown outstanding achievement in areas including improved energy efficiency, health and wellness, smart land use and transportation, waste reduction, helping local economies flourish, protecting natural resources, and supporting diversity.