The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission is the zoning and regulatory agency for the 30.4 square-mile Meadowlands District, composed of parts of 14 towns in Bergen and Hudson counties. Created in 1969, the Commission has fought to end illegal dumping, encourage appropriate development, promote economic growth, and preserve and protect the remaining open space and wetlands.
Over the years the NJMC has invested tens of millions of dollars in local infrastructure and municipal programs. These funds have paid for flood control, business and education programs and have allowed Municipalities to upgrade parks and streets and purchase emergency, DPW and other vehicles – all at no cost to taxpayers. The Commission has also helped attract billions of dollars in economic development and tax revenue for District Municipalities over the past four decades.
Today the NJMC promotes sustainability and green technology through its green building and alternative energy programs, including the creation of the Business Accelerator and several projects to cover former landfills with solar panels. The Commission also promotes green building in the Meadowlands District by providing significant incentives to construction officials who meet sustainable standards, and the NJMC’s own Center for Environmental and Scientific Education was the first public building in the state to achieve LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
In addition, the Commission has helped preserve more than 3,400 acres of wetlands and helped create 21 parks throughout the District. The NJMC offers guided bird walks, canoe tours and pontoon boat tours on the Hackensack River and also aims to educate others about the Meadowlands’ unique ecosystem through its programs for school-aged children taught by Ramapo College educators and public programming held in its Meadowlands Environment Center.