■ Environment
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To combat the spread of the invasive mugwort , PSE & G employees maintain plots that were planted with over 1,500 native pollinator friendly plugs .
Jersey for their breeding season . Due to habitat loss and hybridization , golden-wing populations are in decline . Just 24 breeding pairs return to the state in recent years . Half of these pairs nest in successional habitat in PSE & G transmission rights of way .
To protect their critical habitat while maintaining the safety and reliability of our transmission system , PSE & G worked with the NJ Endangered and Non-Game Species Program and NJ Audubon to develop a tailored management strategy .
Key elements include conducting vegetation maintenance when golden-wings are not present and performing work in cycles to leave at least 1 / 3 of the habitat for their return each summer .
The program started in 2015 and yearly monitoring shows that the golden-wings continue to return and successfully breed in managed areas of the ROW areas despite a steady decline in overall Golden-wing numbers .
Photo : PSEG the native seed bank and planted plugs . We have continued to utilize this research in other areas with good results and have been able to create more pollinator friendly areas throughout our transmission rights-of-way .
PSE & G
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic , PSE & G employee Natale Cortellessa saw a long line of people on the sidewalk as she drove through Camden . She pulled over to see if she could be of help . “ It was actually the ‘ Camden County Pop-up Library ,’ which collects books for people who live in Camden and the surrounding areas ,” Cortellessa said .
To help the library , Cortellessa solicited book donations from her local community , friends and family , collecting some 3,000 books over the ensuing two years . Her teammate , Mike Cullen , heard about her efforts . “ I received permission to re-purpose scrap wood from PSE & G job sites that would have otherwise gone to landfills , and used the wood to build 20 ‘ book arks ’ to house all the donated books Natale had collected . Other PSE & G employees ’ families volunteered to paint the book arks , which are now deployed across Camden .
Green Building
Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System is leading environmental sustainability in healthcare with an energy-saving heat and power plant at Morristown Medical Center .
The co-generation , or “ co-gen ” plant uses natural gas to power a turbine generating
electricity . The by-product heat is converted to steam , used by the hospital ’ s boilers .
In the winter , the plant can support electricity needs of the hospital , across 1.4 million square feet spanning 30 acres . In summer , the boilers can create hot water for sterilization of hospital equipment .
The gas-powered plant also offers added protection against unexpected electrical outages .
Similar to the plant at its sister hospital , Overlook Medical Center , Morristown ’ s co-gen plant is expected to reduce annual energy costs by $ 2.3 million and yearly carbon emissions by about 4,222 tons equivalent to removing about 2,640 vehicles from the road .
The Morristown plant ’ s construction started in 2020 and the system went live on Jan . 4 , 2022 .
Stewardship
Bergen Community College
Bergen Community College ’ s emergence from the pandemic provided officials with an opportunity to reimagine the institution ’ s approach to its physical and built environment . Throughout 2022 , Bergen took steps to become a model for sustainability , inclusivity , and belongingness – ideas articulated within President Eric M . Friedman ’ s initial presidential goals .
Led by Vice President Nat Saviet , a former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive with a background in environmental policy , the College renewed its efforts in creating a sustainable campus by :
◾ Converting more than 300 lighting fixtures to LED ;
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PSE & G
Beginning in 2019 , PSE & G partnered with Rutgers University , Garden Club of NJ , New Jersey Tree Foundation , and Davey Resource Group to research the best method to combat the spread of invasive Mugwort on our rights-ofway . Seven test plots were set up with different control methods , both chemical and biological , as well as a control plot . After treatment , the plots were planted with over 1,500 native pollinator friendly plugs . Plots have been surveyed by qualified botanists in subsequent years and it was determined that the selective chemical treatments were most successful in eliminating the targeted invasive species while supporting both
Natale Cortellessa collected over 3,000 books for Camden County ’ s “ Pop Up Library ”.
Photo : PSEG
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