M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal — Owners, Developers & Managers — April 2023 — 5C
www.marej.com
O wners , D evelopers & M anagers Municipality to adopt a Community Energy Plan Prospect Park retains DMR Architects with $25K Grant households;
P ROSPECT PARK, NJ — Prospect Park in Passaic County has become the first municipality to adopt a Community Energy Plan through the NJ Board of Public Utility’s grant program in an effort to align with The State’s Energy Master Plan, the roadmap to reaching Gov - ernor Murphy’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050. The borough used its $25,000 grant to retain DMR Archi- tects to prepare the plan, which identifies more than two dozen initiatives that Prospect Park will implement within a five-year period, ulti - mately naming the Hasbrouck Heights-based firm as its plan - ning consultant to help guide the implementation. The initiatives include: • Installing renewable energy sources, energy storage, and public EV charging stations on municipal properties, and improving energy efficiency of municipal buildings; • Creating opportunities for community solar programs that allow the public to pur - chase solar energy from off-site sources, with an emphasis on availability and affordability for low- and moderate-income
and there was overwhelming support from our residents and businesses.” “There are state-level grants, tax credits from the Feder - al Inflation Reduction Act, and incentives through util - ity companies available right now making it the ideal time for municipalities to create Community Energy Plans,” said Daniel Hauben, PP, AICP, LEED Green Asso- ciate , senior project planner for DMR Architects. “As plan - ners committed to building healthier and more affordable communities, our team at DMR is equipped to guide our municipal clients through the resources that are available to them now.” In June 2022 NJBPU ap - proved $820,000 in grants to 46 municipalities to create Com - munity Energy Plans to combat climate change. Prospect Park was one of only 24 designated as overburdened and eligible for $25,000. Prospect Park is on the verge of becoming the first municipal - ity in New Jersey to complete a LED Streetlight conversion for the entire Borough, an effort they are coordinating in part - nership with PSE&G. MAREJ
• Outreach campaigns to in - crease resident and business participation in incentive pro - grams offered by the state, fed - eral government and utilities like PSE&G to transition to electric vehicles, make energy efficient improvements and install solar and other forms of renewable energy; • Replace older borough fleet vehicles with newer, prefer - ably electric alternatives, and adopt fuel efficient fleet vehicle management practices; • Make energy planning in - clusive of low- and moderate- income and non-English speak - ing households; “We applaud Mayor Khairul - lah and the Prospect Park council for recognizing the role that reducing carbon-based energy sources plays in the overall health and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in Prospect Park,” said Tracey Woods , energy program man - ager for Sustainable Jersey. “This is the next step for us towards making more clean energy sources available and reducing GHG emissions,” said Mayor Mohamed Khairullah. “We had a public reading of the plan earlier this month
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