SUTTON, BALLISTRERI, APONTE PROMOTE “GREEN” AGENDA FOR COUNTY

The three Republican candidates for the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders said today they intend to promote “a go green agenda” for the county, focusing on energy conservation and environmental quality.

District 3 Freeholder Frank Sutton, a candidate for re-election, was joined by at large candidates Tom Ballistreri and Manny Aponte, in a pledge to build upon the record already established by the Freeholder Board in implementing a broad program of energy conservation and protecting natural resources.

“There is no more urgent quality of life issue than ensuring a clean environment through the enactment of well crafted, forward looking policies,” the three candidates said. “Achieving the goals set forth in our go green agenda will not only result in our citizens enjoying an enhanced and healthier atmosphere, but will lead to significant long term savings to our taxpayers as well.”

They proposed the following initiatives:

* Expand the use of bio fuels beyond the bus fleet which currently uses it to as many vehicles in the Department of Public Works fleet as practical.

· Thoroughly review all vehicle and equipment purchases to assure that only the most fuel efficient technologies are utilized.

· Continue the program of replacing passenger vehicles with hybrid cars as required. Replacement will be based on demonstrated need.

· Install, by the end of this year, solar energy panels at the County Office Building, the Civil Courthouse in Atlantic City, and the Criminal Court Complex in Mays Landing.

* Explore the feasibility of again generating hydro electric power at the Lake Lenape dam.

“County government has already made significant strides toward assuring long term environmental quality, including tripling the amount of open space under preservation protection,” the Republicans said.

“We also have the largest wind farm on the east coast and one of the largest solar arrays in New Jersey and our program of retrofitting buildings and adding solar panels is well underway as well,” they added.

“All of us are very well aware of the need to conserve and to aggressively seek alternative energy sources,” Sutton, Ballistreri and Aponte said. “Government can and must lead the way in identifying those goals and developing innovative methods to achieve them. Our go green agenda is our commitment to putting Atlantic County in the forefront of that effort.”

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