Hunterdon Agreement Brings Green Acres Total To Over $6.3 Million For Open Space Projects

Hunterdon County’s Board of Commissioners, at the Board’s April 6th meeting, approved the County’s tenth project agreement since 2000 with the state Green Acres program, bringing total funding over that time to more than $6.3 million.

Commissioner Matt Holt, the Board’s liaison for Planning and Land Use, stated, “The Board has had a long-standing successful strategy of gathering funding partners in pursuit of preserving open space and farmland.

The concept is having more funding partners involved in a preservation project, leaves more county funds available for other worthwhile land conservation efforts.”

Holt said, “The state’s green acres program has provided over $6.3 million in funds to the County over the past twenty years, including the $700,000 in this agreement.

Green Acres has been an instrumental resource in assisting the county with our strategy. Continuing that valuable relationship is in the interest of preserving Hunterdon County as the special place we know it is.”

The Green Acres program can fund up to 50% of the cost of an open space preservation project. The County was awarded a $700,000 grant through current the project agreement.

County Open Space Administrator William Millette told the Board, “This will be the 10th individual project agreement amendment awarded to the County since its origin in 2000. These awards have ranged from $600,000 to $1 million each.

The County has utilized Green Acres funds to purchase 185 parcels of land that total over 6,270 acres that are open to the public, as part of the Hunterdon County Park System.”

The County’s Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC) had previously recommended approval of the Green Acres application.