NJ Department of Environmental Protection

🎉 DEP celebrated Black History Month on Feb. 19 with an in-house celebration hosted by its Black Environmental Solidarity Team (BEST) employee resource group and its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The “African Americans and Labor”-themed event included:
 🔹 A keynote address from Douglas H. Palmer, the first African American mayor of Trenton   🔹 A performance of the Black National Anthem   🔹 A reading of Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise," delivered by student Caribbean Findley    DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, BEST leadership and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Monise Princilus also shared remarks. Attendees were treated to soul food and African-influenced dishes.  
 ✊🏾 #BlackHistoryMonth #DiversityAndInclusion #BEST

We, at DEP, love our sweets and snacks! 🍬 Our Division of Sustainable Waste Management came up with the idea to collect candy wrappers and snack packaging to keep them out of the waste stream and make something useful out of them. And DEP staffers responded with gusto! In 2024, from mid-October through the end of the year, they dropped nearly 27 pounds of wrappers into specially designated collection boxes that were shipped to TerraCycle, a Trenton-based company that processes the wrappers and turns the material into products such as outdoor furniture, storage bins, playground materials and athletic fields. Did you know DEP Does That? Learn more about our Division of Sustainable Waste Management at: nj.gov/dep/dshw/

Looking for an internship that does more than just fill a résumé? Spark is your gateway to hands-on experience, professional growth, and a chance to make an impact! 🌍✨ 📢 Applications are OPEN! Don’t miss the opportunity to: ✅ Gain real-world experience in a professional setting ✅ Build connections with industry experts ✅ Develop skills that set you apart 💡 Your future starts NOW—ignite your potential with Spark! Apply by March 3! 🚀 The internship runs from June 16 to August 25, 2025. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/d9egaiCy #InternshipOpportunity #SparkYourCareer #SummerInternships

We’re excited to announce that NJDEP will be attending the All Ivy Environmental and Sustainable Development Career Fair for the second year in a row on Friday, February 28, 2025! 🌎 We can’t wait to meet students who are passionate about making a difference in the environment and sustainability. Looking forward to connecting with the next generation of environmental leaders!

It’s Black History Month and here, at DEP, we are turning the spotlight on Douglas H. Palmer, who will deliver the keynote speech at DEP’s upcoming 2025 Black History Month celebration. Palmer made history as the first African American mayor of Trenton, serving for more than 20 years and advising mayors across New Jersey. Today, he specializes in inter-governmental and corporate consulting. Palmer also chairs the Trenton Literacy Movement and serves on several boards, including those for youth organizations. The event on Feb. 19 will feature a poetry performance by orator Caribbean Findley and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette will share remarks. The DEP’s Black History Month celebration is being hosted by DEP’s Black Environmental Solidarity Team (BEST) employee resource group. #BlackHistoryMonth #DEP #Celebrate

💧 Join us on February 20 and 21 for the 8th Annual New Jersey Watershed Conference hosted by The Watershed Institute & NJDEP! This year’s theme, “Resiliency Through Restoration,” will feature 17 sessions that explore innovative strategies to protect communities from the effects of climate change through watershed restoration. 📅 Online-only: February 20, 2025 📍 Hybrid: February 21, 2025 🖱️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/ed7zPfVw If you have any questions, contact: conference@thewatershed.org #WatershedConference #WatershedInstitute #NewJerseyEvents #TheCollegeOfNewJersey #TCNJ

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the second Intergenerational Diversity Panel on Jan. 29, hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Millennial & Gen Z Employee Resource Group. Moderated by DEP Chief Strategy Officer Kati Angarone, the panel brought together five generations of colleagues to share their perspectives on enhancing communication, fostering belonging and leveraging generational strengths through collaboration. A special thank you goes out to our insightful panelists: Martin Hackman (Traditionalist) 📜, Division of Science & Research; Sharon Cost (Boomer) ☎️, Division of Green Acres; Dr. Sanjay Shah (Gen X) 📺, 4A Co-Chair, Bureau of Solid Waste Permitting; Jane Rosenblatt Birkhofer (Millennial) 💻, Deputy Commissioner; and Eric Pierre (Gen Z) 📱, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. We also are grateful to Devin Bracey, Co-Chair of the Millennial & Gen Z ERG, who offered thoughtful closing remarks. We look forward to continuing this important conversation in 2025 as we work toward stronger communication and unity across DEP! 🌍🤝

Measures to reduce plastics entering our environment continue to gain momentum due to broad public concern, the global crisis of plastic waste production, and the United States’ outsized role as the world’s number one generator of plastic waste. Since its enactment in 2021, the Get Past Plastic Law has underscored the significant environmental and public health threats posed by our state's continued reliance on single-use plastics. 🔗 To learn more about the state of plastics in New Jersey, read the entire Second-Year Report from the NJ Plastics Advisory Council at: bit.ly/4jQ0mqc

Don’t miss the 8th Annual NJ Watershed Conference moderated by our own Kati Angarone!

Applications to become an LSRP are now open! If you are an experienced environmental professional and have considered applying to become a Licensed Site Remediation Professional (“LSRP”), now is the time! The New Jersey Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board is offering the Licensed Site Remediation Professional Licensing Examination on April 9, 2025. Applications to qualify to take the examination will be accepted by the Board between January 6-31, 2025. The prerequisite class, “Case Study Training,” that all applicants must take prior to the exam will be held on January 14-15, 2025 – register at: https://lnkd.in/eUMV9KTC. Information about how to qualify and apply for the exam can be found on the Board website at: https://lnkd.in/epNnzsuN. Questions may be directed to the Board at 609-984-3424 or SRPLBoardContact@dep.nj.gov.