Hackensack Environmental Commission

The Hackensack Environmental Commission is composed of several volunteer city residents committed to making Hackensack a greener, more sustainable city.  The City of Hackensack established the Hackensack Environmental Commission (HEC) in 1989 to provide the following functions:

-Conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the City.
-Prepare an index of all such open lands, publicly and privately owned, within the City.
-Make recommendations concerning such open lands to the Mayor and Council and the Planning Board regarding plans and programs for inclusions in the Master Plan.
-Study and make recommendations to the Mayor and Council, including but not limited to open space preservation, water resources management, air pollution control, solid waste management, recycling programs, noise control, soil and landscape protection, environmental appearance and protection of flora and fauna.
-Coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for environmental and conservational purposes within the City.
-Prepare, print and distribute informational materials which, in its judgment, it deems necessary for its purposes, so long as the same relates to its authorized duties as set forth herein.
-When authorized by ordinance, review and report upon any environmental impact statement referred to it by the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment in a timely fashion.
-Upon receiving the prior approval by resolution of the Mayor and Council, assist in the acquisition of property, real and personal, by the City gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise or lease for any of its purposes and shall assist in the administration of the same for such purposes, subject to the terms of the conveyance or gift.
-Prepare such advisory reports and perform such other duties as may from time to time be requested by the Mayor and Council.

Click here for the full enabling ordinance. (HEC, Green Team, Creative Team)

Recent Notable Accomplishments
-The HEC was instrumental in establishing the City of Hackensack Green Team which achieved Bronze Certification under the Sustainable Jersey program.
-The HEC was successful in acquiring a grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) to install Pollinator Gardens on Prospect Avenue at Anderson Street and Hamilton Place.
-The HEC was successful in acquiring a grant from ANJEC to fund an Environmental Resource Inventory in order to fully understand Hackensack’s environmental resources. (More to come).
-The HEC won an award from ANJEC in 2019 for outstanding accomplishment in local environmental protection for the Hackensack Community Garden project in Johnson Park.
-Obtaining a Bergen County Open space grant for the creation of a “Serenity Garden” at Staib Park. 

If you are interested in becoming a board member, please use this form to apply.