ELIGIBILITY
Nominations will be accepted from individuals, organizations or businesses. You may nominate yourself or your company/organization as well as another company, individual or organization you believe is worthy of recognition. However, self nominations in the Environmental Stewardship and Environmental Leadership categories will not be accepted. Applicants in these two categories must be nominated by someone else. In addition, all applicants/projects must:
- Be located in New Jersey;
- Be active within the past year, and;
- Agree to have their project shared with others through a written description to appear in an awards program and on the GEEA website (http://www.nj.gov/dep/eeawards/).
Third party nominations must be accompanied by a written authorization from the nominated party agreeing to be considered for the award.
The DEP, other State agencies and DEP employees are not eligible for awards.
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JUDGING CRITERIA
All applicants must address the following five judging criteria. The response to each criterion may not exceed one typewritten page.
1. DOCUMENTED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT (30 Points)
Please quantify the overall environmental benefits of this program/project or individual accomplishment over the past year or most recent 12-month period for which data exists. For example: amount of pollution prevented; resources or energy conserved; acres preserved; tonnage recycled, etc. It is to the applicant’s benefit to be as specific and thorough as possible.
2. MEETING NEEDS (20 points)
How does this program/project or individual accomplishment contribute to the environmental needs of the State. Describe such issues as: originality, effectiveness, risks that were overcome and whether or not the project is a component of a larger comprehensive sustainability plan.
3. LEADERSHIP/INNOVATION (15 points)
How does this program/project or individual show leadership and take steps beyond “traditional” environmental protection efforts?
4. COVERAGE AND REPLICABILITY (20 points)
How does this program, project or individual impact the business, community, region or state in the long term? How easily can the project be replicated in other locations or by other people?
5. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH (15 points)
Describe what education and/or outreach activities were undertaken in association with this project for affected individuals, employees, stakeholders, contractors, consultants, community, etc.
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SCORING/EVALUATING
A panel of judges from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection management staff will evaluate all applications.
Each of the judging criteria has an associated point value identified in the section above. The total number of points possible for each applicant is 100. Applications will only be scored on the answers to the five judging criteria. Please do not submit extraneous material, as it will not benefit your application.
The administrators of the awards reserve the right not to give an award in any category. All decisions of the judges are final.
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SUBMITTALS AND DEADLINES
Please mail three (3) copies of your application and responses to the five judging criteria to the DEP Office of the Commissioner at the address below, by close of business on September 12, 2012; or you can email your submission to the DEP by the deadline provided.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Office of the Commissioner
401 E. State Street
P.O. Box 402/Mail Code 401-07
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Attention: Caroline Kirkland
- All entries are public information.
- Award recipients will be notified in November 2012.
- Awards will be presented at an awards ceremony and press event hosted by the Governor in December.
- Award winners will be offered the opportunity to submit a poster about their project for display at the awards ceremony.
- Electronic submissions should be emailed to Caroline.Kirkland@dep.state.nj.us
- For further information, contact Tanya Oznowich at (609) 984-9802 or Caroline Kirkland at (609) 633-7821.
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AWARD CATEGORIES (select one)
Awards will be issued in each of the categories listed below. You must identify the category of your nomination on the linked application form.
CLEAN AIR - Nominees in this category should demonstrate a commitment to and experience in one or more of the following areas and activities:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions or equivalents through energy efficiency projects or green power purchases.
- Reducing air pollution emissions and/or reducing outdoor exposure to toxic air contaminants.
- Reducing air deposition loading to land and water.
WATER RESOURCES - Nominees in this category should demonstrate a positive influence in one or more of the following areas and activities:
- Improving surface or ground water quality.
- Ensuring sufficient quantities of water through reuse and conservation techniques.
- Promoting or developing progressive land use policies and watershed management approaches to improve protection of surface and groundwater sources.
HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS - Nominees in this category should demonstrate a commitment to and experience in programs or techniques that have resulted in the restoration, protection and enhancement of the State's ecological resources. These include wetlands, estuaries and coastal areas, as well as non-game and/or threatened and endangered species.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY - Nominees in this category should demonstrate the use or deployment of a new or alternative method, procedure, process, system or facility, which results in greater environmental protection than other technologies in current practice or comparable results at lower costs in terms of energy, natural resources or environmental impacts.
LAND CONSERVATION - Nominees in this category should demonstrate a commitment to and experience in the preservation of open space that protects land from future development.
SUSTAINABLE & HEALTHY COMMUNITIES - Nominees in this category should demonstrate a commitment to and experience in any of the following activities:
- Any activity addressing issues such as pollution/waste reduction, recycling, land use, local purchasing, sustainability, resource conservation or product stewardship.
- Innovative practices or technologies that have resulted in the private or public sector clean up and redevelopment of contaminated/brownfields sites.
- Creation of community-based initiatives that foster involvement, action and effective solutions to the adverse effects of industrial pollution in overburdened and low-income communities.
- For municipalities that are participating in the Sustainable JerseyTM Program, please note this in your application.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION/EDUCATOR LED and/or STUDENT LED PROJECTS - This award will be given to an educator, student, group of students or class that has planned and implemented a project/program with measurable positive environmental impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP - This award will be given to an individual who volunteers time with an environmental, academic or community-based organization in the state.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP - This award will be given to an individual who has shown leadership in the promotion of environmental protection in his/her profession.
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