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Union County Receives $1.65 Million in New State Green Acres Grants

Sierra Trail (Watchung Reservation) Union County NJUnion County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that Union County has been included in the latest round of Green Acres funding approved by New Jersey’s Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Out of a statewide total of $102.3 million in grants approved by GSPT for open space acquisition and recreation, Union County received a matching grant of $1.65 million.

“This is one of the largest grants of its kind ever received by Union County,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Our population is growing, and this funding will enable us to continue preserving open space and improving our facilities to meet the increased demand for public recreation.”

Jalloh noted that the Freeholder Board will use the funding to help offset previous land acquisitions by the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

The County’s Trust Fund was established by popular referendum in 2000 with overwhelming support from voters. Since then, the Trust Fund has preserved more than 300 acres for open space and public recreation, while helping to fund municipal recreation and historic preservation projects.

The $102.3 million total approved by GSPT includes $93.3 million for local governments and nonprofit groups, and $9 million for State land acquisition projects.

In addition to the $1.65 million awarded to Union County, GSPT recommended approval of  several grants that will be applied to municipalities within the County. These include:

  • Plainfield — $1.1 million for improvements in multiple parks.
  • Roselle — $1.1 million for improvement of Armenia Field Park.
  • Linden, Springfield, Union Township — These municipalities are named in a $350,000 matching grant awarded to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation,  for acquisitions related to the Arthur Kill Greenway in Union County and Middlesex County.
  • Linden, Rahway – These municipalities are named in a $350,000 matching grant awarded to the Trust for Public Land, for harbor estuaries acquisitions.

For details on all of the GSPT awards statewide visit nj.gov/dep/greenacres/.

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