Township General Information
Electronics Recycling Reminder
DEP Reminds Residents to Recycle TVs, Computers and Monitors as Required By Electronic Waste Management Act
Black Bear Activity
Fall Activity for Bears Begins; Residents in "Bear Country" Urged to Secure Trash and Other Residential Food Sources
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Eligible households do not need to reapply for the program to receive supplemental benefits. The benefits are available because LIHEAP funding for the year increased beyond the original projection provided by the federal government.
Nearly 158,000 households that heat their homes with gas will receive an added benefit of $100 while those that heat with electric will receive a $250 benefit. Approximately 28,000 families that heat with deliverable fuels, such as oil or propane, will receive a $175 supplemental benefit. Also, about 51,000 households that received medically-required cooling assistance will receive a $100 supplemental benefit.
The DCA's Division of Housing and Community Resources administers the LIHEAP program, which is a federally-funded initiative that helps low-income residents with their heating and cooling bills, and makes provisions for emergency heating system services and emergency fuel assistance. To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, a household must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent; and have gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
The LIHEAP application also serves as an application for the Universal Service Fund (USF) Program, which is run by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. USF helps low-income households pay for their electric and natural gas costs. LIHEAP eligible households may also be eligible to receive USF assistance.
To be eligible for USF, a household gross income must be at or below 175% of the federal poverty level, and pay more than 3% of its annual income for electric, or more than 3% for natural gas. If a household has electric heat, it must spend more than 6% of its annual income on electricity to be eligible. USF applications are accepted throughout the year.
For more information on LIHEAP, or to find the nearest agency participating in the program, please log on to www.energyassistance.nj.gov or call 1-800-510-3102 (LIHEAP).
Recycling 2012
View recycling flyer (.pdf)
Please bring clean recycling materials to the Franklin Township Recycling Center located at the Township Garage on Asbury-Broadway Road. Our recycling center is open the first Saturday and the third Wednesday of every month as follows:
First Saturday of every month: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Third Wednesday of every month: 12:30 PM - 4:30 PMThe following materials are accepted at our site: newspapers string-tied in bundles only (not in plastic bags), glass containers (green, brown, clear), plastic containers (PET #1, #2, and #3 only), aluminum and tin cans. Materials such as cardboard, junk mail, office paper, etc. are accepted at the Warren County District Landfill at 500 Mt. Pisgah Ave., White Township. Call (908) 453-2174 for details. Items such as used batteries, old computer parts, hazardous waste, etc. are accepted at the District Landfill on selected dates only. Private sanitation companies in the township offer curbside pick-up of certain recyclables. Please contact your garbage hauler for details. If you have any questions regarding the Franklin Township Recycling Program please call our Recycling Coordinator, Roger Bulava after 5:00PM at (908) 689-4809. Thank you for your efforts in keeping Franklin Township "Clean and Green."
Effective January 2011, it is against the law to dispose of electronic waste (computers, monitors, laptops, TVs, etc.) in your garbage. The Electronics Waste Management Act requires that these items be returned to designated collection points. The nearest collection point to Franklin Township is The Best Buy store at 1202 New Brunswick Rd., Phillipsburg, NJ 08865. Store hours are Monday - Thursday 10AM-9PM, Friday and Saturday 9AM-9PM, Sunday 10AM-7PM. You may call Best Buy toll free at (888) 237-8289. For other collection points, please refer to www.recyclenj.org or call (866) 337-5669.
2012 E-Waste Recycling
DEP Advises Residents to Recycling Tvs and Computers, as Successful E-Waste Recycling Program Enters Second Year
Unwanted televisions, computers, electronic tablets, e-book readers, and monitors that have been replaced by new electronic holiday gifts cannot be tossed into the trash but must be recycled as required by the state's one-year-old Electronic Waste Management Act, which generated an estimated 40 million pounds of recycled e-waste last year in New Jersey, DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said today.
Dog Licensing Information
2012 Dog Licenses are not available until January 3, 2012. We only accept exact change or checks for payment of dog licenses. Please made checks payable to Township of Franklin.
All dogs must be licensed during the month of January -
$8.00 spayed/neutered
$11.00 not spayed/neutered
Proof of Rabies good through November 1st of the licensing year.
Additional Curbside Brush Pick-Up - For Storm Related Damage ONLY
No Whole Trees accepted. No limbs larger than 8 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter, cut edge to face road. DPW will be coming around as time warrants to assist township residents.
Steps to Take After a Flood
From NJ's Office of Emergency Management:
Steps To Take After a Flood (.pdf)
Franklin Township Municipal Garage Brush Drop Off
Brush/leaves can be dropped off at the Municipal Garage during the following times:
Mondays: 11am - 1:30pm
1st. Saturday each Month: 9am - 1pmPlease do not drop off at other times - gate will be LOCKED!
Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act – Information
The Highlands Water Protection Act (Highlands Act) was enacted on Aug. 10, 2004 with the purpose of protecting the region’s great wealth of natural resources, including the waterbodies that supply drinking water to more than half of the state’s population. The Highlands Act defined both a Highlands Preservation Area and a Highlands Planning Area. The regulatory program established by the Highlands Act applies only to Major Highlands Development in the Highlands Preservation Area. An interactive map (i-map) of the Highlands Region is available at www.nj.gov/dep/highlands. The Highlands Special Adoption Rules were adopted on May 9, 2005 and became immediately effective.
For more information on the Highlands Act, visit www.nj.gov/dep/highlands
Highlands Council
100 North Road
Route 513
Chester, New Jersey 07930
(908) 879-6737
Fax (908) 879-4205New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Watershed Management
Bureau of Watershed Regulation
P.O. Box 418
401 East State Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0418
(609) 984-6888
Well Water Testing
The New Jersey Private Well Testing Act (PWTA) requires that all private well owners involved in a real estate sale have their water tested in accordance with the Act. The Act also requires landlords served by wells to test every 5 years with an initial test conducted before March 15, 2004. The Warren County Health Department recommends that all private well owners have their wells tested for the parameters listed under the PWTA to insure that the water is potable.
The Warren County Health Department strongly recommends that residents of Franklin Township have their wells tested for volatile organic compounds in the area referred to as the Pohatcong Valley. An EPA investigation of the area (Pohatcong Valley Superfund Site) has been ongoing since the early 1980’s. A new study area has been identified by the EPA as Operable Unit 2 (OU2). All residents in Operable Unit 1 (OU1) should already be using public water. Operable Unit 2 runs along the Pohatcong Valley in Franklin Township and runs into Greenwich Township. A map is available for review at the Warren County Health Department. Many residents are aware of the contamination through reading newspaper articles, EPA Town Meetings and Warren County Health Department notifications as part of the PWTA. The chemicals of concern are trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) which are common solvents used in industry and dry cleaning.
Nitrates are also a concern in Franklin Township due mainly to the geology of the area and the extensive use of fertilizer from agriculture. Fertilizers enter the groundwater easily through sinkholes in cavernous limestone.
If you contact a NJ State Certified Lab to test your well for the PWTA parameters make sure you explain that the test is for your knowledge and not a real estate transfer.
If you have any questions about water sampling or have inquiries about the Superfund Site please feel free to contact the Warren County Health Department at 908-475-7960.
Private Well Testing Act Parameters in Warren County
1. Total Coliform Bacteria*
2. Nitrates
3. Volatile Organic Compounds (EPA Method 524.2)
4. Iron
5. Manganese
6. pH
7. Total Hardness
8. Lead***Total Coliform positive results must be identified further to rule out Fecal Coliform or E Coli contamination.
**Lead results above 10 ppb must be evaluated further to rule out improper sampling procedures or plumbing issues as the likely cause/source of the lead in the sample result.
Bicycle Helmet Law
The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety has asked us to remind you that, effective march 1, 2006 New Jersey's Bicycle Helmet Law will change. Young people under the age of 17 will be required to wear an approved helmet when cycling, roller skating, inline skating, or skateboarding. The law currently affects riders under the age of 14. For more information on the new law and other bicycle safety issues, please go to the Division's website at www.saferoads.com.
Mailboxes
Just a reminder to all residents, please be sure to clearly mark your homes/mailboxes with your house number so that it can be seen from roadside. It will help a firetruck/ambulance/cop find your home in case of an emergency!
9-1-1 Emergency Message
With the winter months ahead and the hazards of this season's driving conditions around the corner, the State's 9-1-1 emergency system will be busy, more than ever, with increased calls. Thousands of calls regarding roadside emergencies and life-threatening accidents will pour into our 9-1-1 centers.
Last year, New Jersey residents placed more than two million emergency calls to 9-1-1 using wireless phones. But, wireless phones don't automatically provide 9-1-1 call-takers with all the information they need.
That's why it is important for all wireless users to remember to provide 9-1-1 call-takers with an exact location, type of emergency, who is involved, and a phone number. If driving, pull over to a safe place, and then provide as much specific information as possible. The more information you provide, the quicker we can help.
Thank you. Together, we can all help New Jersey's 9-1-1 system help you.
Charles S. Dawson
Chief Technology Officer
Franklin Township Online!
We would like to express a hearty thank you to Christie Jacobsen, our webmaster, for a job very well done and for making this site possible. If you would like something added to these pages, please contact the Mayor or the Township Clerk with your request. We want this web site to reflect your interests and needs.
New Environmental Complaints Toll-Free Number
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has recently established a new toll-free telephone number, 1-877-WARNDEP (I -877-927-6337) for the reporting of environmental complaints and abuses including spills, discharges and emergencies. This toll-free hotline number will be operated on a 24-hour, 7-day/week basis.
No Dumping!
Please, NO DUMPING at the Franklin Township Municipal garage. This is not a dump and violators will be prosecuted. If you observe anyone attempting to dump please notify the municipal building and try to obtain a license number. The problem is so severe that the township is contemplating video surveillance of the scene. Refuse is accepted by the Warren County Landfill. For more information call 908- 453-2174.
Municipal Building - 2093 Rt. 57, Broadway, NJ 08808