SOURLAND PLANNING COUNCIL WINS STATE AWARD
FOR EFFORTS TO ENSURE CLEAN AND PLENTIFUL WATER

November 22, 2004 -- The Sourland Planning Council has been honored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the grassroots organization’s comprehensive efforts to ensure clean and plentiful water for residents of the Sourland Mountain Region and central New Jersey.

Jennifer Bryson, president of the volunteer organization formed in 1986, accepted the award from DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell last week at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities 89^th annual conference, which was held in Atlantic City.

“We are deeply honored and grateful to Commissioner Brad Campbell for his recognition of our important work to ensure there is clean and plentiful water – now and in the future – for residents of the Sourland Mountain Region and central New Jersey, who drink the water formed in the fragile forest and perched wetlands,” said Bryson, who lives in Hillsborough Township.

  “We hope this award will boost our efforts to educate and foster better stewardship of the Sourlands, which is a critical treasure that is at risk,” she added.

Here is an excerpt from the organization’s application:

 “The Sourland Planning Council’s comprehensive efforts to ensure preservation and protection of the precious natural resources of the environmentally sensitive Sourlands region have led to many tangible, as well as intangible, benefits.

 “Each patch of unbroken forest that is left intact, each acre that is preserved, each landowner, resident or visitor that learns about and greater appreciates this special place, is a success story and gives hope for the future of the Sourlands.  Each municipal rezoning ordinance adopted; each resolution passed; each newsletter, letter and newspaper article produced; and each public presentation and private conversation conducted builds upon each other to create what is poised now to be a critical mass of support to save the Sourlands before it is too late.

“While it is difficult today to quantify gallons or critters saved, or groundwater pollution that is avoided, these efforts collectively further and promote efforts to protect the precious natural resources of the Sourland Mountain Region.

“The Sourland Planning Council’s efforts have demonstrated a positive influence on improving ground water quality; on ensuring that sufficient quantities of water will be available to accomplish smart growth objectives; and have promoted and developed (and are still developing) progressive land-use policies and watershed management approaches to improve protection of water sources.”

Attached is a brief description of the Sourland Planning Council, the application to the DEP for its fifth annual Environmental Excellence Awards submitted by Kathy Bird of Hopewell Township on behalf of the organization, and Bryson’s remarks.

According to its mission statement, the Sourland Planning Council is "a nonprofit volunteer organization formed to promote and encourage a comprehensive approach to planning, conservation, preservation of open space, protection of natural resources, and protection of places of historical interest for Sourland Mountain and its environs."

The Sourland Mountain Region is comprised of parts of eight municipalities in three counties.  It stretches through parts of East Amwell and West Amwell townships and Lambertville in Hunterdon County; Hopewell Borough and Hopewell Township in Mercer County; and Hillsborough and Montgomery townships in Somerset County.  A sliver of Delaware Township in Hunterdon County is considered in the Sourlands region.

The "core" of the forested area and hard rock is approximately 60 square miles but the Sourland Mountain Region, which includes the drainage and aquifer recharge areas, is actually nearly 90 square miles.

The Sourland Planning Council’s leaders said they were deeply honored by the organization’s work being chosen over so many other excellent efforts as the winner in the DEP Environmental Excellence Awards for the category of clean and plentiful water.

And, they said, the Sourland Planning Council was gratified that the Delaware & Raritan Greenway, Inc., a land-preservation nonprofit organization, was singled out for its work to preserve thousands of acres in the Sourlands.

Delaware & Raritan Greenway, along with other nonprofit organizations including the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, are partners with the Sourland Planning Council in many efforts to further critical resource protection in the Sourlands.