MANSFIELD: Township sets deal with DEP

By Amber Cox, Staff Writer
   MANSFIELD – The township has finalized its agreement with the state Department of Environmental Protection for a reforestation project after it lost several acres of trees for the turnpike widening project.
   Township Attorney Michael Magee explained that the township is only guaranteed the first installment.
   The other installments are not guaranteed to the municipality and will be listed in the budget requests for the next two years. Payments after the first year are contingent on the state budget and if the funds are available.
   ”We have to file a grant application each year,” Mr. Magee said.
   The first installment is for $799,053 at $300 per tree. A survival rate of 95 percent is also set for the treee and it’s important that there is money left over to be able to maintain the trees and keep the survival rate up.
   ”Mansfield Township was able to accomplish this agreement without incurring any significant expenses,” Mr. Magee said. “We did not join in on any suit.”
   The plans are not final as to where the trees will be planted or what types of trees it will use.