Leaf Composting Grant Program

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is offering a Leaf Composting Grant Program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) to promote compliance with stormwater management requirements at public wood waste recycling and leaf composting facilities. The grant targets public entities operating under or seeking authorization for the NJPDES Wood Waste Recycling and Leaf Composting Stormwater General Permit (WRC). The program is managed by the Department’s Division of Watershed Protection and Restoration and supports facilities engaged in receiving, storing, processing, and transferring untreated wood waste, including branches, trunks, brush, and composting materials such as grass clippings and leaves. The total available funding is $1.35 million and will be divided equally among qualified applicants. All funds must be used exclusively for activities that support compliance with the WRC General Permit. This includes the preparation and implementation of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SPPP) and Drainage Control Plan (DCP). Facilities that have already completed these activities may seek reimbursement. After these mandatory steps, any remaining funds can be used on other permit-compliance-related activities. Initial fund disbursements occur upon execution of a grant agreement, and all awarded funds must be spent by September 1, 2026. Any unspent or ineligible costs must be returned to NJDEP. Eligibility is limited to public entities currently authorized under a valid WRC General Permit or those applying for such authorization by August 1, 2025. Permit application forms and checklists are available on the NJDEP website and must be submitted to the address provided in the permit instructions. The grant itself must then be applied for via the NJDEP SAGE system. The program is noncompetitive, using a formula-based distribution method to equally divide funds among all qualifying applicants. The Department reserves full discretion in determining the eligibility of both applicants and project costs. Applicants must also submit an SPPP and DCP in compliance with the WRC permit to be eligible for final disbursement. These documents serve as both a planning and implementation requirement and form the core of the eligible project work. The Department emphasizes that incomplete or late applications will be deemed ineligible and strongly encourages early submission due to the rolling nature of funding distribution. However, the application deadline for all entities is August 1, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to complete the WRC permit application promptly and then proceed with the grant submission through SAGE. The Department’s review process is led by the Division of Watershed Protection and Restoration, which will determine project cost eligibility and oversee fund distribution. All funding not committed or returned will be reallocated to future opportunities. For further information or questions, applicants may contact stormwatergrantsinfo@dep.nj.gov. Additional support materials and instructions for both the WRC permit and grant application processes are available on the NJDEP website. The grant cycle concludes on September 1, 2026, and no applications will be accepted after the deadline of August 1, 2025.